I Hate That I Love You
by KatjaLillian
Summary: What if James had a sister? Not biological of course, but adopted. What if she was half veela? What if his best friend, womanizer Sirius Black was in love with her? What if she loved him back? Will Loralei and Sirius make it through the war? Will they even make it through school? It starts in their 5th year. No flames. My first chapterfic. SB/OC JP/LE
1. Chapter 1

Loralei never knew who her parents were, only that when she was three years old when the Potter's adopted her. She looked nothing like them with bright blue-silver eyes and strawberry blonde hair, but she always said her name was Loralei Potter, even before she got it changed.

After a blood test they figured out she was half veela, but other than that they had no idea of her Parentage.

She was beautiful though. Hourglass figure and in shape from Quidditch training with her brother in all but blood, James that summer to make sure Gryffindor wins the next Quidditch cup. She was the seeker, her older brother the star chaser, even if it was her who always ended the match with them winning, well most of the time.

She was more likable than her brother though, able to charm most of the teachers if they were men or women, and able to get anyone to fall in love with her. James claimed it was her veela blood; she knew better, and maintained most of her relationships easily.

Including with one Lily Evans who was her best friend, or best girl friend from the day they met in the girl's dorms when they were eleven years old. Now, at fifteen, they were going into their fifth year and were very close, Loralei's extroverted personality going nicely with Lily's introverted one.

Lily was a muggleborn with emerald green eyes and vivid deep red hair, square face with very light pink lips, and six inches taller than Loralei. They looked nothing alike except for the shape of their eyes, both almond and they could roll them at the same time in the same exact way when her brother did something he thought was wonderful, or when Sirius Black did something stupid.

Sirius was James' best friend, who had been trying to get Loralei's affection since she turned beautiful at age twelve, when she got her curves and a mouth that wouldn't quit. She could either build someone up with her words or tear them down. Get on her bad side and there was trouble.

When Loralei saw Lily from across the train station, she ran from where her family was standing as Lily did the same, and ran for the other, Lily had spent the summer in France and they could only write the whole summer, for best friends that was tough.

They slammed into each other, stumbling about as they hugged, laughing.

"How was France? Meet any men?"

She laughed, and shook her head. "A few, but I don't speak that much French so it would've never worked."

She pulled away looking Loralei over. "I got you something." She told her, pulling out a small black box, opening it so she could see small gold Eiffel Tower stud earrings and handed her the box. "Happy birthday Lore!"

"Thanks Lil!" She said happily, brushing her fingers over them. "I know you have a Prefect's meeting right when the train leaves but just go with Remus after it's over and you'll find me with the boys, then I'll take you far, far away, okay?" She says nearly jumping with excitement. "I'm sure we both have a bunch of stories to tell the other after a whole summer apart, I couldn't fit mine in letters."

"Me too," Lily laughed. "Are your things on the train?"

Loralei nodded. "The boys are going it for me."

Lily rolled her eyes. "Of course they are. I have to say goodbye to my family, I will see you in two hours."

"Me too, Promise?" Loralei said seriously.

"Promise." Lily replied, holding out her pinky finger just like they did as eleven year olds.

Loralei took it. "Yay." They shook the hands where their pinkies were hooked on the others. Loralei started backing up. "Two hours, and I'm holding you to it." She said, before turning and dashing back to say goodbye to her adoptive family.

Cordelia Potter was a stocky woman with remnants of young beauty, her dark red-brown hair was now streaked with gray and her hazel eyes were exactly like her son's, she wore oval glasses around them. She was a loving woman with not a bad thought of anyone...unless they messed with her kids.

The Malfoy's for one, when Loralei had rejected Lucius Malfoy when he had asked her on a date because he was rude to Lily, he reacted badly, threatening her and ended up losing when Loralei pulled out spells her brother or her friend, Severus had taught her, and left him hanging by his ankle, his wand on the other side of the hall while she walked away, even Severus Snape, the head of the class, was in awe when he heard.

Cordelia didn't take too kindly to the fact that her daughter had to deal with that at age thirteen, and had sent a howler to his parents, causing them to not give him spending money for the rest of the year to respect the Potter's wishes. After all they were not only Duke and Duchess, but also Charles Potter was the Minister for Magic.

Charles Potter looked just like his son, but with dark brown eyes and no glasses. He was tall with a long nose and light skin, good looking even as he aged, and much like his wife with protecting Loralei and James. When he found out Loralei was thirteen he gave James' friends, Peter, Remus, and Sirius rules in which they were not to go near her room, and if he ever caught them in any "funny" positions with her he would be "very upset" mostly if any of them were upsetting her. He had lightened up since then, making sure she knew everything she would need to know if she decided to do anything with a guy. Mostly after her face was pasted on the Daily Prophet with Fabian Prewitt in one of the pictures they were caught kissing. It was only gossip when James was out with a girl, but with her it was a scandal.

Loralei hated sexism. She could fly circles around her brother, but he was the Quidditch star. She never said anything about it, but she wished she could change that. Her brother was already the heartthrob of their year and every year under them, she hated to hear about her brother's "sexiness."

She kissed both of her parents cheeks and hugged them. "I'll miss you guys so much. Mum remember to owl Lily's mum about tea. Dad, make sure she remembers." She released them. "I'll be less noticeable this year, I promise."

"Yeah that's what you said last year." James teased, grinning from ear to ear.

She elbowed his stomach, hard.

"Ow." He said, rubbing his stomach. "I knew I was going to regret making you train with me."

Loralei rolled her eyes. "Are you ever going to say something nice about me or be nice to me?"

"Sure." He turned to Sirius who was putting his trunk on the train. "Oi, Padfoot?"

"Yeah, Prongs?"

"If I catch ya checking out Lore I'll hex ya, all right?"

"Wasn't that for all guys?" Patfoot asks, confused, as he held his trunk over his head.

Loralei grinned. "Operation: Get Sirius To Check Me Out has begun." She looks down at her tight tank top with a loose cardigan and tight bootcut jeans. "Should be easy enough."

Her father laughed while her mother rolled her eyes.

"Be good." Cordelia chastised, kissing her daughter's forehead.

"Always." Loralei replied.

"Get good OWL's all right?" Charles told them, looking at his watch. "You have two minutes before it leaves."

Loralei and James hugged their parents again, and got onto the train, getting into the compartment they had taken since their first ride, to find Peter and Sirius already there.

Loralei took out her Witch Weekly magazine and started reading it as the boys talked, waiting for Remus to get back.

Remus was her favorite, mostly for his love of books much like hers, they always got the other one books, and Sirius never got why she acted so much more grateful for the books than the jewelry he got her. But he was rather dense, even for a guy.

Peter was a very mousy boy, mousy brown hair, a nose that reminded her distinctly of a rat, and small beady eyes. She never got how he fit into this group; he was if anything, a groupie. Sirius was tall dark and handsome, long black-brown hair that framed his aristocratic features perfectly. He had deep sapphire eyes, and was smart. Loralei knew that he was a womanizer though, using girls when he got them, she also knew he lost his virginity last year right before he turned fifteen, where Remus and Loralei rolled their eyes. Did he ever keep anything to himself, or to their circle of friends? Apparently not. If it was Loralei who had slept with someone, she would have been branded a slut, not a stud.

After a few attempts of trying to get her attention, he took the magazine out of her fingers.

"Wanker." She said angrily, holding out her hand for her magazine. "Give it back."

"What are you reading?" He asked curiously. "Girl quizzes? Let me see." He read through the first list of questions.

"'Which do you prefer as a gift, an expensive necklace or a good book?'" He asked.

She scowled at him. "Give it."

"No, lets do these together, shall we?" He says.

She let out a frustrated breath. "Fine. Book."

He goes through her bag, taking a quill out that had ink in it, and made a note on the magazine. "'First thing you notice about a guy?' You have three choices here. A. eyes, B. body, C. Brain."

"Eyes." She muttered.

The questions went on, until he sighed out. "'You're not superficial, you are a beautiful inside and out' Pretty accurate." He said pursing his lips as he put the magazine back down on her lap. "Where'd Prongs go?" He asked Peter.

"To find Lily." He said.

Loralei rolled her eyes. "She's in a prefects meeting, the daft child."

"Go find him." Sirius says offhandedly.

Loralei only rolls her eyes again and puts her calves on Sirius' lap. "I swear that boy is never going to get her if he's her puppy."

"Says the girl with half a dozen guys following her around like a puppy." Sirius replies. "So, what do you think about what I said last night?"

She looked away from him. "The love notes were nice. I can see why girls fall for you...Don't let that go to your head. I'm going to have to pass though."

"Why?" He asked.

"Because I don't want the girl population of Hogwarts to hate me and be called a slag." She told him. "So lets just pretend you never kissed me at the beginning of summer, huh?"

He frowned.

"I know people usually never mean it when they say 'no' to you." She says quietly, looking down at her hands, inspecting her painted purple fingernails. "But I do, so we should just stick with whatever we were before."

"You kissed me back." He said, looking at her hands too.

"Yeah, but if we ever did date, you are going to end up cheating or do something stupid and I'm going to get hurt and James will try to beat you up, then all you have left is Peter." She said.

"Are you so sure?" He asked.

"Positive." She replied. "You'll be over it anyway as soon as you see Mary McDonald with a tan or something."

"You're wrong."

"Sirius," she groaned. "I'm not date-girl, I'm relationship-girl something you'd run away from."

"Come on, you're different." He scoffed, looking at her legs that were on his lap, and rubbing them up and down.

"Yeah, as James' sister." She said. "I'm just another pair of tits with legs."

"No, you're not."

Loralei closed her eyes and sighed, before going to prove herself right. She moved her legs, making him think she was rejecting him when she was in fact moving to straddle his lap. She brushed her fingers over his eyes, which were bright with victory, he closed them as she liked. She ran her fingers through his soft hair, and kept one on the back of his head and the other trailing from his neck to rest on his chest, feeling his heartbeat, it was still steady, unlike her last boyfriend had been.

"You've been in this position so often that your heart doesn't even race." She takes his hand and puts it to her chest, careful not to put it where he would grope her. "I know exactly what I'm going to do and my heart is still racing, Siri." She said this sadly, trying to will away the tears in her eyes as he opened his. "I wish that you weren't a womanizer, because I will not be one of the many." She kissed him lightly. "This never happened, Sirius, we are Sirius and Loralei, nothing more than that. We're friends." She gives him a sad smile, before reaching for her bag, and getting off his lap. "See you later."

She quickly left the compartment, not noticing how his heart did pick up when she pressed her lips to his.

She ran through the train, picking up speed as she headed to the loo. She slammed the door behind her, and let her hands cover her face as a few tears escaped down her cheeks. She rubbed them off, and looked in the mirror. She didn't have any traces of tears other than glassy eyes, but that could be from her laughing too hard. Or that's what she hoped people would think.

She left the train's bathroom, and ran straight into Lily.

"Hey," Lily said, steadying the shorter girl.

"Hey," she smiled. "Let's go find a compartment." She turned to Remus. "You better sit next to me at dinner!" She grabbed Lily's arm and pulled her down the train where Lily had just come from.

"Always, Lore." He calls after her.

Lily rolls her eyes. "You have them all wrapped around your fingers."

"Comes with the territory." Loralei muttered. "You pretty much live with four teenage boys, one being your brother, and they all either hate you or love you."

"So, tell me your stories, Lore." She says as Loralei pulls her.

Loralei looks into a window of a compartment, and opens the door, pulling Lily inside and closing the door behind them. She brushed her hands along every part of the room, making sure her brother or Sirius wasn't under the invisibility cloak anywhere.

"What are you doing?" Lily demanded as Loralei ran her hands over where luggage would be above the seats.

"You'll understand one day." She tells her, not ready to mention the invisibility cloak yet. If she told their headmaster, Dumbledore, he might take it away from them, and she used it quite often to get away from Paparazzi. She knew that Lily wouldn't take it away from her, but she would do it just to get back at James for being...James.

"All right..." Lily said uncertainly.

Loralei got off the seat and looked at Lily, biting her lip. Her back was to the window showing the countryside, and her hands were in front of her, her fingers twisting and untwisting until she got the sentence out.

"Sirius kissed me." She said quickly.

Lily's jaw dropped. "What? You pushed him away right?"

Loralei looked away, taking a seat by the window and looking through it. "No."

"So...are you an item now?" Lily asked carefully.

She shook her head. "I'm not going to be another one of his sluts."

"Oh thank Merlin." Lily fell into the seat across from her. "What did you say to him?"

"Just that, and that he's a slut." Lore muttered, playing with the rings on her fingers.

"Way to go, Lore." Lily clapped her hands together. "What did he say?"

"That I was different from the others. Yeah, right." Loralei said defiantly, but looked out the window, her hand going to the necklace that hung around her neck, but was covered by her dark blue cardigan.

"You're wearing his necklace aren't you?" Lily asked, rubbing her temples with the tips of her three middle fingers of each hand. "Lore..."

"I know, all right? I know." Loralei replied, annoyed by the situation. "I know that he's not my type, I know that he's a man-whore, I know that we're supposed to be friends, and, God, I know that it's only because I'm something pretty to look at. But he's so damn sweet sometimes." Loralei pulled papers out of her bag and started reading them aloud. "'I can't stop thinking about you, why weren't you there when I came last weekend? I missed your presence, the way you play with your lower lip when you're thinking, the way you flip your hair when it gets in your face, the way you have a comeback for everything.' One of many letters he sent me. At some point realizing I was avoiding him."

"And what changed then?" Lily asked, slowly.

Loralei dug through more letters until reaching them. "Please, talk to me Lore. I miss you." She looked up. "He forgot to mention the witch he picked up in August when he was getting school supplies. He really couldn't think that James wouldn't tell me." She let out a frustrated sound as she ran her fingers through her hair. "It's like, he doesn't get that you can't try to get with me while your still shagging another girl, and he's so bleeding impossible!"

Lily grimaced and shook her head. "Lore, you like him, don't you?"

"Yeah," she frowns. "And trust me, I don't want to. I really don't."

Lily slumped against her seat. "I don't like him, you're better than him."

"You don't know him like I do." Loralei muttered. "He's really sweet sometimes." She waved around the letters in her hand as proof, before shoving them back into her bag. "He's just so confusing, because he says he likes me, then he's after some other girl, and I'm just Loralei, his friend, then he dumps her, like always and I'm back to being the only girl in the world."

"What did he get you?" Lily asked, not knowing how to respond to her.

Loralei unbuttoned her cardigan and showed the gold necklace. "it's beautiful, isn't it?" And it was, a thin golden chain, contrasting nicely with her slightly tanned skin, the deep red of the round stone that hung from the chain.

"Yeah," Lily said softly. "It is."

"You're lucky you hate James. It would be so much easier if I hated Sirius." Loralei told her. "Relish in the hate, girl. Love it." She squirmed, before jumping up. "I'm going for a walk, want anything from the trolley?"

"No," Lily said quietly. "Want me to come?"

She shook her head. "I'm fine."

Lily didn't see Loralei until at the Great Hall that night.


	2. Chapter 2

Loralei needed to clear her head, so she found Remus and got him to get her the invisibility cloak to use to disappear a while. Remus seemed to know why, from the way she refused to talk about why she was upset. She would end up telling him at some point. She always did.

She went in a carriage to the school with the Marauders. The Marauders were what James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter called themselves. Everyone knew it too, they were called that by everyone now. Sirius kept looking at her, and how she rested her head on Remus' shoulder, she looked tired, and he could see the red rim around her eyes. She wouldn't look back at him, so he knew she was crying, and what she was crying over.

Him.

James knew something was up, since Remus kept throwing Sirius glares every so often when he said something that he didn't like. James didn't like when something messed with his little sister, especially if it was one of his friends. Something was going to happen.

When they arrived at the castle Lily came up to them, looking worried.

"Where have you been? When you didn't come back after an hour I looked for you!" She said, her worry quickly turning to anger. "Do you know how worried I've been?"

"I'm not a child, I was fine." Loralei replied softly.

"Looking beautiful as ever, Evans," James commented, smiling.

"Shut it, Potter." She turned to him briefly before turning back to her friend. "We need to talk."

"We have all night, tomorrow's Sunday." Loralei said, her face blank and her voice in a monotone. This was her wall she had built up to get through today.

Loralei was just so tired, and nothing was helping her, no one was helping her. Lily was inexperienced with relationships, and Remus could only keep it to dating around because of his condition, James was so infatuated with Lily, he would only date around himself, waiting for her to come round. She had no one to talk to about it, because no one would get it. Not one of them, she could get sympathy, but no advice worth following, and the "follow your heart," saying from Lily was getting on her nerves, it would only work for a few things, none of them as complicated as this.

"Let's go inside, shall we?" Loralei turned on her toes and bounced through the courtyard back through.

The boys turning to follow her, but a sharp yell of, "Black!" From Lily stopped them.

"Yes?" He turned around, looking at her.

"You and I are going to have a talk. I don't know the whole story, and I doubt I'll ever know it, I don't care." She advanced until she was in his face. "I swear that if you mess with her, or mess her up, James isn't the one you should be afraid of." Lily ran to join up with Loralei, leaving the boys in a daze.

"She called me James." James said happily.

After Loralei ate something she seemed to get enough energy to act as if nothing had happened, joking around with Remus, James, and Lily, though begrudgingly answering when Sirius directed something her way.

When she made it to bed, didn't tell Lily anything, just said she was fine. She closed the curtains around her bed, and fell asleep.

The next day she seemed back to normal, and started giggling when she saw the sun shining through the window.

"We're going tanning." She told Lily, pointing at the sun.

So tanning they went, getting their swimsuits on, and putting a jacket on over it, Loralei went to the kitchens to get some food and lemon juice to put in their hair.

They went by the Black Lake, putting out towels to lay on, and taking off their pants and shirts to let the sun soak into their skin.

Loralei loved the sun, and since it didn't show too much in Scotland she thought she'd soak as much of it in as she can today. Lily needed a little color too.

Loralei poured the lemon juice into her hair saturating it, and handing the container to Lily, but she shook her head.

"I like my dark red." She told her, putting baby oil on her skin, and handing Loralei the bottle.

Loralei put some on her skin until she was shiny, then laid back onto her towel, putting her arms over her head to get the whiter parts of her arms tanner.

"You're getting blonder." Lily remarked, looking over her best friend.

"Yeah, that's why they call it summer training. James even got tan." Loralei said.

"Where'd you get the food?" Lily asked quickly changing the subject and looking into Loralei's tote bag and pulling out a muffin. "Ooh, chocolate chip."

Loralei laughed. "It's from the kitchens, and I got enough food to keep us for a while, James wouldn't know we're out here anyway."

"Is he ever going to let me go?" Lily asked.

"I tried to get him to try to be your friend...I don't think he knows how..." Loralei muttered. "It's funny though, for someone being so good with girls, he doesn't seem to be able to have them as friends."

"Except you." Lily said.

"I'm his sister, in everything but blood, there's a difference. Plus we grew up together, it's kind of hard not to be like siblings."

"I guess." Lily agreed.

"Did you see John Mickinon? What a babe." Loralei said, changing the subject.

Lily laughed. "He spent half the night trying to get your attention, the other half talking to you. Of course you think he is, you enjoy the attention."

"He's a good beater too, since Fab and Gideon left." Loralei said, agreeably. "He should be able to keep the bludgers off us this year. Too bad I going to stick to the no dating on the team rule this year."

"Oh yes, how unfortunate, you must date a someone from another house if you want a jock!" Lily teases.

"I kind of want to tease a Slytherin this year, Regulas looks good."

"No, Lore." Lily told her. "Not a Black."

"What? He's only a month younger than me." Loralei said, defiantly. "And it's not because of Sirius, Reg's always been nice to me."

"Because you're pretty." Lily told her. "Come on, every guy in this school is a superficial twat."

Loralei laughed. "And you only have to deal with Severus in the summers, I have to say Remus is my favorite. He reads the books I give him, and gives me books. He knows we're just friends and doesn't ask for more. I like Remus."

Lily smiled, laying back on her towel and closing her eyes to shield them from the sun. "I like Remus too, he's different. He doesn't use girls, and he rarely dates. It's like he's trying to find the right girl."

"He really is, and if he wasn't like my brother I'd be after him. He's a total sweetheart." Loralei laughs. "It's not like he'd cheat either, when he found out that Johnny did that to me...uh-uh, he was not having it. That's how he was in the hospital wing, the boys got a hold of him."

"They all love you don't they?" Lily asked.

"In their own way. I'm not too fond of Peter though, he gives off a vibe I don't like." Loralei scrunched up her nose. "But he's usually doing something whenever I go to Hogsmeade with them so I only have to deal with him in the summer."

"That's good, I guess." Lily said.

Loralei sighed. "I'm going to sleep now," She turned over, making her clothes a pillow.

"Have fun." Lily yawned. "I think I will too."

They were awoken by water being shaken on them.

Loralei screamed before she saw it was just a dog, a big black dog that looked to be young, shaggy and a little wet.

"Aw, hey there boy." She said, slapping her leg for the dog to come closer. He did.

The dog licked her neck, as he got in her lap.

"Ew," she laughed. "Aw, you're a good boy aren't you?" She scratched his neck. "What's your name sweetheart?"

"Come on, Lore, you don't know how many diseases that thing has." Lily told her.

"Just because you prefer cats doesn't mean I do." Loralei grinned. "I've always wanted a dog." She turned back to the dog. "Lay down, boy."

The dog did just as she asked, but put his head in her lap, making her laugh and scratch behind the dog's ears.

"Look, he's trained and everything." Loralei said. "He's not a stray."

Lily rolled her eyes. "If it bites you its your fault."

"He's not going to bite me." Loralei said, as she kept playing with the dog.

He licked her arm, from her wrist to the inside of her elbow.

"Come on, that's gross, Lore." Lily said.

"He's a dog." Loralei said slowly. "It's what dogs do." She leaned over the dog's face and puckered her lips. "Kisses." The dog licked her lips. "See? He's a sweetheart."

Lily shook her head and laid back down on her towel. "Are you going to keep him in our dorm?"

"He probably belongs to someone else here, maybe Hagrid." Loralei said.

"Maybe you should, it'll keep you off dating this year." Lily told her.

"OWL's are going to keep me off dating this year." Loralei replied. "Unless I finally date someone in my year, then we could study together, wouldn't that be cute?"

Lily groaned. "Most of the guys in our year, except Sev and Remus, wouldn't study when there's a girl sitting right next to them. Reality check."

Loralei rolled her eyes. "The boys study."

"Are you sure they weren't just coming up with an excuse so you wouldn't think they were up to something?" Lily asked.

Loralei laughed. "You make them seem worse than they are. They're actually really smart, James gets a higher grade in Transfiguration than you do, Remus is even with you and Sirius is just under you with me."

"And Peter?"

"Don't care about him." Loralei said.

"So, let me see, you're in love with Black, and Potter and Remus are like your brothers?" Lily said, trying to wrap her head around Loralei's relationship with the Marauders.

"I'm not in love with him." Loralei protested. "I...it doesn't matter anyway."

"Did you see him flirting with anyone last night?" Lily asked.

"Doesn't mean he won't. Watch, he's going to be after some girl in a week tops, and I'll be so yesterday I won't exist, or worse, be put in the sister-zone."

The dog let out a whine. Loralei realized she had stopped petting him, she started again.

"Sister-zone?"

"It's like the friend zone, only worse." Loralei told her.

"And he's not in yours?" Lily asked.

"He's never been." Loralei admitted.

The dog stood up and walked away, making Loralei lean towards where the dog was trotting away.

"No! Let me love you!" She cried, reaching her arms out for the dog.

Lily started laughing. "Every time. You do it to your owl too."

"Because some piece of me thinks they'll come back." Loralei shook her head.

"He's never been in your friend-zone?" Lily asked. "Honestly?"

Loralei shook her head. "No, not really, or long enough to count."

"What if I told you that he was coming this way?" Lily asked.

Loralei's face went blank. "My hair's messy and I don't have any makeup on."

Lily started laughing. " You look fine."

"Lore?" Sirius called.

She turned, and put a surprised smile on her face. "Yeah?"

"Can I talk to you for a minute?" He asked.

"I'm going to take a shower." Lily smiled.

"Don't let James hear." Loralei teased.

Lily rolled her eyes and grabbed her things stuffing them all in her bag. Loralei put on her shorts and put everything else in her bag slipping on her flip flops and standing in front of Sirius.

"What about?"

"Yesterday." He said.

"I thought we were forgetting." She told him, softly, looking straight into his dark blue eyes.

He shook his head. "I'm not, and I realized you never had a problem with me, only what could happen."

"What will happen. I know you Siri, you've never stuck with one girl for more than a month, if that." She said.

"Give me a chance." He said. "Come on, Lore, give me a month to change your mind."

Loralei bit her lip, turning her eyes to over his shoulder, thinking.

"I'll tell you what," she finally says. "If you get James and Remmy's permission, I'll give you a month to change my mind." She took a peek of his expression. He was grinning.

"All right." He says happily. "One last thing-" he took her hand and put it to his chest, right over his heart, so she could feel it beating quickly, then leaned down to press his lips lightly against hers. "I'll see you in an hour." He says, backing up. "I knew you liked the necklace." He turned and ran back to the castle.

Loralei giggled, biting her lip and playing with the necklace he had given her for her birthday, before frowning. _What did I just do?_ She thought.

An hour later she was in the North Tower, visiting on of her favorite teachers, Professor Cassandra, who taught Divination. She was a tall woman with a willowy figure, flowing robes accentuated this. She had dark brown curly hair and light green eyes, she was in her forties but didn't look a day over thirty.

"Loralei Potter, it's been too long." She smiled at her favorite student. "Did you write down all your dreams?"

Loralei nodded, handing her a velvet-covered book. "Yeah, here you go."

"Did any come true?" She asked, seriously.

Loralei nodded. "Page three."

Professor Cassandra nodded. "So how was your summer?"

"Boring, as usual, but I did catch up on some sleep at least, started studying for OWL's and such. But I thought I'd drop that off, I have to go though."

"Mr. Black I presume, did you get him out of my class?" She asked.

Loralei laughed. "No, but I promise he'll be on better behavior this year."

Professor Cassandra smiled. "Of course not. Go along now, Loralei."

Loralei smiled. "See you later Professor."

She sat in the common room, it was mostly empty except for the Marauders and Lily, all of them listening to Sirius as he asked James and Remus' permission to date her.

"Come on, James." Sirius said.

James did not look amused. "Are you going to shag her and dump her?"

"No,"

"Cheat on her?" Remus cut in.

"I know better than that." He said.

"Why do you want to date her?" Lily asked quickly, trying to get her piece in.

"What?" Sirius asked.

"Why do you want to date her?" She said, slower. "Is it her hair? Her boobs?"

He shook his head. "No."

"Then what is it?" She asked.

He looks back at Loralei, she had a curious look on her face that mirrored everyone else's. No one knew why, and Lily couldn't imagine him having more than lust for her best friend, and everyone knew it.

"Do I have to say it now?" He asked, pleading in his voice.

"Yeah, you do." Lily said.

He groaned, running a hand through his hair and looking at the floor. "I love her."

Silence followed his statement, so he went on.

"I-I love the way she tells me to wait until she's done reading to talk. I love the way she always has a comment for everything. I love the way she plays with her lips when she's reading letters. I love the way she'll spend all night trying to get me to be able to pass the final exam for Divination, and still laugh when I fail." He glanced at Loralei over his shoulder. "I love the way she tells the truth even if it's hard to say or hear. I love how she stands up for what she believes, and never backs down. I just love her."

Loralei looked at him blankly, until a small smile appeared on her face, he smiled back.

"There are rules I want followed." James says loudly, making Sirius and Loralei break eye contact and look towards him.

"Which are?" Sirius asked.

"You can't sleep together for at least six months." He said. "If you ever cheat on her you're out. That, 'bros before hoes' stuff, doesn't happen here. She's my sister not one of your play things."

"Okay," he says.

"I don't want to hear about you doing something stupid and upsetting her." Lily said. "I want that to be a rule."

"Me too." Remus agreed.

"All right, that's another rule." James agreed.

"I don't want to hear any sex stories about her." Remus said. "That would be weird."

"Okay," he agreed.

"We want to be able to add rules as issues come up." James said. "Does anyone have any more?"

They shook their heads.

"Okay, you have our permission." James said. "You know the rules."

"Deal," Sirius said before turning to Loralei. "Whaddya say?"

She laughed. "That's what you say? Really?"

"Come on, after everything I said before you still want more?" He asked incredulously.

"Yeah, yeah I do." She said standing up, and smiling. "I want to be wooed."

"You're only doing this because you know I will." Sirius said.

"And there's your challenge. Make me fall for you. Too bad you have to get me to trust you first." She tells him. "You have until October."

He chewed on his cheek. "Okay."

"See you later, Siri." She smiled, walking up the staircase to the girls' dorms.


	3. Chapter 3

When Loralei woke up the next morning she knew today was going to be a good day. The roses gave that away.

A dozen bright red roses were on her nightstand, with a card from Sirius.

_Meet me tonight on the Astronomy Tower at eleven tonight._

_-S_

She smiled at the note. He was sweet, she would give him that, he was also could potentially be a good boyfriend. The only thing that made her pause was going to see if he could keep off the other girls for a month, and she was planning to make him wait until October.

When she got down to the Great Hall that morning, Lily was already down there talking to Marlene, a short girl, like Loralei but with chocolate colored hair and eyes, and freckles across the bridge of her nose. Loralei got along with the girl, they had to since they were in the same dormitory, but they rarely talked about anything besides class when they had one together.

Loralei sat down across from Lily, and took a bright green apple off a stack of apples, taking a bite. "Good morning, ladies." Loralei said happily.

"Who were the roses from this morning?" Marlene asked curiously. "Lily won't tell me."

"Sirius," she told her.

"You're his first this year?" She asked, eyes wide. "I thought you'd be the only one safe since you're a Potter!"

Loralei shook her head. "I'm not going to be his first of many this year. I'm going to be his only." She smiled, sitting up straighter.

"That she is...if she says yes." Sirius said, slipping in the seat next to Loralei. "Did you get what I sent you?"

"Yes, I did, and I'll be there." Loralei told him.

"You're only having one girl this year?" Marlene said in disbelief.

"Yeah..." Sirius said, looking at the girl if she was crazy.

"So it's official."

"He has a month to get me to agree." Loralei told me.

"I'll be right back." She said, going to the Hufflepuff table to talk to someone there.

"So, it's out to the world now." He told me. "Do I get a kiss?"

She turned towards him, and took a bite of her apple, smirking as she slowly chewed and swallowed.

He put on his sad puppy face.

"Aw, look how cute." She pressed a kiss on his cheek. "I haven't agreed yet, though."

"Oh, I know." He said. "I think you're going to tell me on the second of October."

"Smart too." She said, looking around. "Where's Remus and James?"

"They were waking up when I left." He told her.

"It's half an hour until class." Loralei said.

"They'll make it." He said offhandedly.

"You think that now, but lets see when they show up, I know Remus will, but James and Peter...eh." She replied.

"They're big boys and can take care of themselves." Sirius replied.

"Yeah, well if James wants to stay Quidditch Captain this year, he's going to have to keep his grades up." Loralei replied. "I don't want to be Captain this year."

"How do you know it will go to you?" SIrius asked.

"I'm his second in command." Loralei told him. "Did he not tell you? McGonagall made me so when James and you get in detention, there's still someone to train the team."

"Who said we were going to get in detention?" Sirius asked.

"Well, you two always do if Peter doesn't take the fall, and Remus is smart enough not to get caught."

"Are you saying I'm dumb?" He raised an eyebrow at her.

Loralei rolled her eyes, and Professor McGonagall came to hand out their timetables, Loralei also took Remus, James, and Peter's so they wouldn't have to find her before classes start."

"Divination first, yeah!" Loralei cheered.

"With the Hufflepuffs." Sirius groaned.

"Why are you guys taking Divination?" Lily asked.

"Because I'm a seer." Loralei told her, knowing she wouldn't believe it.

"Yeah, and I'm the Duchess of York." Lily replied.

"No, that's my mother." Loralei replied with a grin.

"Oh yeah, I can't say that to you..." Lily muttered.

"Yeah, you can't." Loralei replied, as she saw the other Marauders walk in. "Look, they're alive!" She points at them.

"Did you think they were dead?" Sirius asked.

"That's always a possibility." Loralei shrugged. "Good morning, boys." She smiles as they get in hearing distance.

"Not really." James said with a yawn.

She handed them their timetables.

"Look, Evans, we have Arthrimancy together." James said happily. "What do you have?" James asked Loralei.

"Divination." She told him.

"Did you give her the book yet?"

"Yeah, yesterday." Loralei told him. Out of all the people who were here, he's the only one that believed her when she said she was a seer.

"Did any come true?" James asked.

"One, I'll tell you it when I get the book back." She replied.

Lily and Sirius looked confused, while Remus and Peter were both focused on eating quickly before their first classes.

"What are you talking about?" Lily asked. "You think that's a real subject? It's guessing."

Loralei and James shared a knowing look. She had said a few Prophecies before, all of which had came true.

"You're just jealous Professor Cassandra doesn't like you and failed you in third year."

"It's ridiculous." Lily told her. "You can't tell the future from looking into a crystal ball or through dreams."

"Fine, just so you know, you're having a baby boy with black hair and your eyes." Loralei stood up and grabbed her bag, before walking away angrily. Lily just never got what her best friend is, even though all the signs were in front of her.

"What's her problem?" Lily asked.

"That's her favorite subject." James told her. "Don't insult it."

She was taken aback from being scolded by James Potter. "How could anyone-"

"Or in front of me." He said, turning to his breakfast.

She stared at him blankly, not knowing what to say or do to him for the first time since they met.

Their first day was good, no homework was given, and there was no Quidditch practice held, though James did put up a flyer for tryouts that weekend. James and Lily stopped speaking civilly and argued if they spoke at all, which drove Loralei up the wall.

"SHUT IT!" She finally yelled, not only shutting up her brother and friend, but the whole common room. She turned to everyone. "I'm talking to the redhead and my brother."

Still they stayed quiet, wanting to get the new drama on the new year, apparently Sirius Black sticking to one girl was too impossible for anyone to believe.

"I said, go back to your knitting." She said in a low voice.

Slowly the conversations started until Loralei turned to Lily and James, seething.

"I don't care about how you hate each other, in fact I couldn't care less. If you want to fight get a good reason, got it? Not just because he hit on you, or because he's fancying you. James, stop hitting on her with terrible pick up lines." She told them sternly, before looking around. "Where's Sirius?"

"No idea, he left after dropping off his bag." James said, hands dug deep in his pockets and looking at his shoes.

Loralei rolled her eyes. "Can I talk to you a minute?"

He looked up. "Sure."

She took him by the arm, and pulled him up the boy's dormitory, to their room, where Remus was reading. Surprisingly it wasn't too messy for five boys being in their room, there were mostly things from Zonko's on the floor, along with random socks that apparently didn't have a match.

Loralei, gave James a little push so he would sit on his bed.

"Remus, can we have a minute?" James asked as he sat on his bed.

"Naw, he can stay, he knows how to keep his mouth shut." Loralei said, crossing her arms. "Look, you need to learn not to take her bait."

"But-"

"No buts. She pretends she doesn't, but she does, you just need not to let your mouth get the better of you." She told him. "I saw it, you and Lily are going to have a kid, but I don't know how you guys are going to end up together."

"You see the future?" Remus asked, turning towards them. "I knew it!"

"Yeah," she replied, turning towards him.

"How does it work?" He asked.

"I see what happens, I don't know how they happen, I just know they do." She tells them. "But I can't tell people their future, even if I could, they might just sit by and not do what needs to happen for their future I saw to occur."

He paused. "That sounds complicated."

"It is," James said. "Do you believe it?"

"Yeah, I mean, it's just another kind of magic. Don't you?" Remus asked.

"Let's see, she saw you being a werewolf before we found out." James snapped his fingers and turned to his sister. "Oh, did we tell you that we succeeded with becoming Animagi?"

Loralei's jaw dropped. "Without me? I was working with you! How could you leave me out of it?"

"We couldn't find you." James told her calmly. "We can help you just like we helped Wormtail, just like with the Patronuses."

Loralei nodded. "This weekend? After tryouts?"

"Sure, you know where." He says.

"Duh, I found it." She scoffed, flicking her hair over her shoulder. "It shouldn't be too hard to do it since Peter did it...I'm better at Transfiguration than him."

"Yeah, it sounds harder than it is to be honest, mostly after all our prep for it." James said, laying back on his bed. "So what time are you meeting Sirius?"

"Eleven." Loralei told him. "Did he tell you?"

"Yeah, he wanted to make sure you liked it." Remus said. "We said if you're not back by one he has to wake you up tomorrow."

A line appeared between her eyebrows as a confused expression appeared on Loralei's face. "What?"

"You slapped me when I woke you up last week." James told her. "You hit hard."

Loralei laughed. "That is a good punishment." She agreed.

"Be sure to give him a bruise." Remus told her, turning the page in his book.

"Guys, come on, he can't do worse than he already has." Loralei told him.

"He can if you're dating him, I mean first year was bad." Remus said.

"He's grown up." Loralei said. "I'm not that bucktooth kid."

"You're right, you're beautiful." Remus said. "Not that you weren't cute before, but...you've grown up. I think he likes you for you, but I still want you both to be careful."

"Of course, do you know me Remmy?" Loralei teased.

"Yeah, but I also you jump in head first without thinking." Remus replied.

Loralei smiled. "That's a part of my fun exterior. Always ready for fun!"

Remus rolled his eyes and changed the subject. "Tell me a prophecy."

"Depends." She says, laying down on Sirius' bed which was next to James'.

"On?"

"If it comes true or not." She tells him. "Like, I have a little book of things I've seen, I'll show you it when they come true."

"Haven't some already?" James asked. "That's what you said earlier."

"Yeah, but let me tell the ones I want to tell." She replied. "They're all a part of my story after all."

"Your story?"

She nodded. "I can focus my talents on one thing. We have some very big things ahead of us."

"All of us? What happens to me?" He asked, intrigued.

She smiled and shook her head. "I can't tell you."

"Aw, come on, you have our life stories." He said.

"No, I have some visions to what ends up happening." She corrected. "I don't know how they happen, they just do."

"That's annoying." Lupin said.

"Tell me about it, she only told me about my kid because I found her when she was writing it down." James told him. "It's easy to piece things together."

"How long have you known?" Remus asked him.

"I don't know, three years?" He turned towards Loralei for her nod of approval. "She told me I'd become chaser before I ever played Quidditch, told us we'd both be in Gryffindor, and such. I didn't believe her until I became a chaser in second year."

"Wicked." Remus said. "You must really love Divination."

"Yeah, I do." Loralei said, smiling.

Loralei looked into the mirror right before she went to meet Sirius on the Astronomy tower. She was in her usual jeans and a tank top with a hoodie on since it was cool out. She had cleaned up her faded makeup so there was barely any on, and laced up her black converse high tops, before going passed Lily on her way through the common room.

"See you later." She said, not waiting for a response as she kept walking.

She made her way up the stairs humming happily until she was told to be quiet by an old woman in a painting. Sometimes those paintings were just no fun.

Sirius was waiting for her by the stairs to the top of the tower, leaning against the banister, and looking down.

"Hey Siri," she said happily.

He looked up, smiling when he saw her. "Hey, Lore."

"So what are we doing here?" She asked. "I didn't see you after dinner. You should've seen Lily and James going at it."

"Do you really think that I'm going to tell you until you see?" He asked, ignoring the comment about Lily and James.

"Show me then." Said Loralei simply.

He holds out his hand for her to take.

**A/N**

**Thank you to everyone who has put this story on alert or under favorites, and a special thank you to the reviewers! I hate to be one of the authors who ask for reviews, but I get so happy when I see them, and don't you want me to be happy? The happier I am, the more I write, is that a good incentive? **

**PLEASE REVIEW!**

**Kat**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N Sorry for not updating earlier! I went sailing this weekend and didn't have much time to write. Sorry if there are more mistakes than usual, I just wanted to get this chapter out here.**

**Please review!**

**Kat**

Loralei's eyes found candles everywhere on the platform, the golden light showing her two bottles of butterbeer on ice and a blanket laid out in the center of the candles. The stars were bright tonight, lighting up the sky much like the candles did the tower.

"Wow," was the first thing that came out of her mouth, breathless and touched.

"So you like it?" He asked. "Took me all night to remember that you love candlelight."

She laughed softly, looking at him, releasing his hand from hers and grabbing his arm. "I love it." She got on her toes and kissed his cheek. "Thank you."

He had the biggest smile on his face, showing all of his white straight teeth, as he pulled her onto the blanket, where they sat down next to each other.

"So tell me why haven't you hexed Evans or Prongs yet?" He asked. "I don't think anyone could blame you, you have to deal with both of them complaining."

She sighed, running her hands through her hair and pushed it behind her shoulders. "No idea, maybe because I think its cute."

"Cute that she hates him?" He asked.

"No, cute that there's a thin line between love and hate, and she's going to find that out soon."

"Your definition of 'cute' is weird." He told her.

"Which is why I'm lovable." She told him.

"You're lovable?" He asked.

"You love me, don't you?" She asked.

"Yeah, I do." He said, looking straight ahead at the sky. "You don't love me."

"Did I ever say that?" She asked.

"Do you love me?" He asked.

"I never said that either." She said, looking straight ahead at the stars like him.

"You're making no sense." He told her.

"Because I'm honest?" She replied. "Not many girls are with you."

"So how do you feel about me?" He asked. "You like me enough to give me a chance, or did you just feel sorry for me?"

She scoffed. "I don't date anyone for pity."

"You didn't answer my question." He told her, nudging her with his shoulder.

She pushed back against him with her shoulder playfully. "I kinda have been working to get you in the friend-zone for the passed four years-don't worry you never were in it-so I've been trying not to like or love you in a romantic way since I met you, so this is all very weird." She explained. "So I'm in the place where I could love you. I won't lie to you if I do or not, so you're going to have to wait and see."

"I can deal with that." He said. "At least then when you do, I'll know you do."

"'When?'" Loralei teased, turning to look at him as he looks out to the stars. "You're too cocky for your own good, maybe I'll decide we're better as friends."

He turns towards her, leaning in to kiss her as one of his hands goes to her neck. This kiss is a short one, but Loralei would later describe it as, "fireworks" when Lily asks for details.

"You're not going to say we're better as friends." He tells her, smiling as he pulled away. "No one kisses their friends like that."

She laughed. "Fine, so neither of us think I am, but a lot happens in a month." She warned him. "And I want you to know I was hoping for a boring year last summer."

"Where's the fun in that?" He asked.

She shrugged. "Maybe that I knew that if this year was boring I'd have a lot of time to study for OWL's."

"I'll study with you." He told her.

She rolled her eyes. "I mean actually study, not snog with open books around you."

"I've studied with you before." He reminded her.

"Yeah, but you knew I'd smack you if you tried." She replied.

"Would you now?" He raised an eyebrow.

She looked away, over her other shoulder. "No comment."

He barked out a laugh.

She cracked a smile, turning back to face him, and hit him with her shoulder. "Shut up."

He smiled. "I know you, Loralei Potter. You're gonna love me."

She rolled her eyes. "So, are you going to fail Divination again this year?"

"I didn't fail, I just barely passed." He disagreed.

"Same difference to me." She replied.

"Are you going to fail Herbology again this year?" He replied.

"I didn't fail, I just barely passed." She mimicked.

"Same difference to me." He teased.

"Professor Cassandra completely ignored you today." She told him.

"Thank Merlin, I didn't have a single answer for that woman." Sirius told her.

"So why did you keep raising your hand?" Loralei asked, confused.

"I didn't have an answer, but I did have a witty comment."

"Or what you thought was wit." She corrected. "Divination isn't completely stupid, you just have to have the talent for it."

"That you have apparently." Sirius replied.

"If I didn't you'd have to choose a different class." She teased. "That would be terrible."

"So terrible, then all our classes wouldn't be together."

"I'm taking more classes than you." She told him. "I know you're only taking Muggle Studies to piss off your parents."

"And it's working." He said. "It's nice getting yelled at everyday in the summer by your parents for being a blood traitor."

Loralei frowned. "You know you can always stay with us, right? You're like a second son to Mum and Dad."

"I might take you up on that." He said.

"How is everything going with that?" She asked. "Have they joined Voldemort's side?"

"Not yet, but they think he has the right idea. I think Bellatrix is going to join as soon as she leaves school."

"But she's insane." Loralei said. "Everyone knows that."

"Yeah, but they still like that I spend time with the pureblood Potters." He said, shaking his head.

"I'm not pureblood." She told him. "I'm half veela and half who-knows-what."

"They don't know that, and I'm only going to tell them when we get married."

Loralei smiled, turning their conversation back to teasing. "So we're getting married now? Where's my ring?"

"I'll get you one later." He tells her, smiling.

"Should we get married before or after James and Lily?" Loralei asked.

"Before." Sirius told her. "I don't want to wait until we're old."

Loralei laughed. "So when do you want to get married?"

"When I get out of Auror training." He said.

"What will I be doing? Sitting at home waiting for you?" Loralei asked, raising her eyebrows.

"You'll be doing whatever you want." He said. "Are you back on Healer or Auror?"

"I was actually thinking of teaching." Loralei said. "Professor Cassandra is working on finding a replacement, and I've gotten the highest grades that she's ever given. She'll train me."

"So you'd live here?"

"No, I can floo here." Loralei said. "That's what she's been doing since she got married."

"She got married? Who's the bloke?" Sirius asked.

"No idea, she likes keeping a private life." Loralei said. "But she said that if I get an O in the OWL's she'll start training me next year."

"Doesn't Dumbledore hire the teachers?" Sirius asked.

"Professor Cassandra said he lets the teacher sign off on the person since they know better than anyone who would be best for the job." Loralei told him.

"Professor Loralei Black." He said. "Sounds weird.

"Perhaps because it's Loralei Potter. Professor Potter." Loralei replied.

"So you're not taking my name?" He asked.

"I might, if I marry you." Loralei replied, reaching over Sirius for a bottle of butterbeer, and pulling out the cork, as she was about to take a sip, she started laughing. "First date and we're talking about getting married? This is all a little sudden." She teased.

"Come on, don't tell me you never thought about it." He replied.

She looked away, realizing she hadn't. She never even thought about her wedding, or imagined that she would have one. "Because I haven't."

"Really? I thought all girls planned their weddings." He said, surprised.

"Lily has, I haven't." Loralei told him. "It's not my thing."

"Of course not. You're not normal." He said, getting his own butterbeer bottle off the ice.

"And proud of it, babe." She grinned, taking a sip of butterbeer. "So, if this is the first date, what do I have to look forward to for the second?"

"I'll tell you when I get there." Sirius said. "But there is a Hogsmeade trip in two weeks, so don't make plans with Lily."

Loralei laughed. "Is there a, 'please' in there somewhere?"

"Will you _please_ go to Hogsmeade with me?" He asked.

"There we go." Loralei laughed. "Yes, I will go with you. But if you take me to Madam Puddifoots I will leave."

"I know better than that. I won't even go in there." He said.

"Good boy." Loralei smiled.

"Thought you'd be happy about that." He said, pulling her to lay down next to him on the blanket. She was happy about the candles, not only for the beauty, but for the heat too, otherwise she would have been freezing.

She put her head on his arm. "So when did you start fancying me?"

"Last February, when your face was all over the Daily Prophet snogging Fabian Prewett." He told her in a tight voice. "I didn't like it, and not just because you're better than him. I just always pictured you with me if anyone."

She laughed. "So you think you're good enough for me?"

"Hell no, you're the only one here that I'm not good enough for." He told her.

"Even Lily?" Loralei teased.

"Not even Lily." He told her.

Loralei didn't even know what to say to that. Everyone else though she was better than Lily, but to be told that so directly made her heart pick up speed. After a second she laughed. "She's James' anyway."

"Yeah, she is." Sirius replied. "Doesn't matter, she's not my type."

"What's your type, Siri?"

"The girl who calls me Siri." He replied.

Loralei searched her memories for girls who called him that and get away with it. She was the only one.

"I'm not sure if you're trying to be all sappy or if you mean it." She said, honestly, rolling onto her side and getting on her elbow to look at him.

"I mean everything I say to you." He told her, putting her hair behind her ear with his fingers, leaving his hand in her long hair.

She smiled softly, looking into his dark blue eyes.

They didn't have a date for the rest of the week, they did just meet up alone, but most of the time they just did their homework, or helped each other with it. By the time it was Friday they were the talk of the school. Sirius Black and Loralei Potter were together, though neither said anything to anyone about it besides the Marauders and Lily, everyone knew though. They were always holding hands or passing notes, or even giggling in the back of the classroom. Both were invited to the Slug Club event that weekend when Loralei said she had plans with Sirius to try to get out of it.

They were everything but official, and that drove quite a few of the girls crazy when he wouldn't even flirt with them, and always say he had to meet her somewhere. Loralei loved it.

Friday night Loralei and Lily were getting ready for the Slug Club dinner, they couldn't wear their uniforms, and they had to wear semiformal clothes or robes.

Loralei wore a black skirt that fell around her ankles, put pinned up the right side so she could walk easily and show her black high heels. She had a cream colored lace top that showed how tan she was, and her hourglass figure.

Lily wore a green dress that went to her knees, and fit tightly to her thin figure, and white shoes.

"You look nice." Lily commented. "I heard Slughorn invite Sirius too."

Loralei laughed. "Yeah, he did." She said, putting small golden ball earrings in her ears. "He was my excuse to getting out of it."

"I know how much you hate these things, but Sev's gonna be there."

"We both know he hasn't been so friendly since he started getting into the Dark Arts." Loralei muttered.

Lily paused. "Maybe he stopped."

Loralei gave her a look that showed she thought the opposite. "When was the last time he hung out with us? Or even you?"

"Summer before last." Lily said.

"I'll be nice to him, and I won't let Sirius do anything, but I don't trust him anymore." Loralei told Lily. "I just hope he'll snap out of it before it's too late."

Lily stayed quiet as she put on her white pumps.

"I'm going to meet Sirius downstairs, I take it you're going down with Remus?"

She nodded. "We're on a project for Ancient Runes that we need to talk about anyway."

Loralei smiled. "See you later." She said as she closed her dormitory door behind her before going down the stairs to find Sirius.

"One thing I'm surprised about," she said as she wrapped her arms around his neck from behind. He was sitting on the common room couch directly in front of the staircase to the girls dormitory. "Is that you haven't found a way to get up the girl's staircase yet."

He chuckled. "I'll work on it, Love."

"You better." She said, releasing him and kicking out her leg over the back of the couch, giving Sirius full view of her right leg before she sat next to him. "Please be nice to Severus tonight."

He sighed. "You know that he's...not good." He chose his words carefully.

"I know, but that doesn't mean you can't be the bigger man." She told him. "So, please be nice. I don't want you to be a bully."

"Why does it matter?"

"Because I've been on the other side. I've been trying to work on you guys for the longest time." Loralei said, getting closer to him, on her knees, and turned towards him. She had learned that the closer physically she is to him, the better he would listen to her. "For me?"

He sighs, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her on his lap. "For you."

She smiled, putting her arms around his neck. "Thank you."

"But can we get out of there as soon as we can? I've heard stories from Moony and you. It doesn't sound fun." He said.

"It's okay if you're not his favorite or if there aren't any rumors going on about you." Loralei told him. "We'll ditch right before dessert and we can say that we want to finish homework before the weekend, we'll be back around nine."

"So it won't even be late." He says.

"But I have Quidditch in the morning." Loralei replied. "Then James is helping me with the Animagus stuff after."

Sirius froze.

She looked at him confused. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." He says, shaking his head.

She let it go, knowing she'll find out eventually. "I hate that James gets out of this every year since he played that prank at the first dinner."

"I do right now too. He should suffer with us." Sirius agreed.

"Should we force him to get changed and drag him down there?" Loralei said.

"That's not funny." James said from behind her.

Loralei turned around to see him in one of the good armchairs, his History of Magic book on his lap. She hadn't even noticed him there.

"Half the things you do aren't funny." Loralei replied. "This, my dear, would be very funny."

James looked up from his book and frowned at Loralei. "You're just mad I was a terrible kid and you just wanted to please everyone. That's why you're one of his favorites."

Loralei rolled her eyes. "Lily goes to all of them, if you went she'd be forced to talk to you."

His face went blank for a moment before her muttered, "Damn."

Sirius laughed. "Should we be going?"

Loralei nodded. "See you later, brother." She said, getting off Sirius' lap and pulling him up by his hand.

"Remember I want you on the pitch at ten!" He told her as she pulled Sirius out of the common room.

Loralei laughed. "He's the one that's always late, he should be reminding himself."

"But that would make sense." Sirius replied, leaning down to whisper it in her ear.

She laughed. "Watch, He's only going to show up after I weed out the good players."

"Probably." Sirius agreed. "But you love it. You do't have to do the hard work, you just need to get rid of the ones with no talent."

She nodded. "Hopefully no one will get too pissed like they were last year with Johanna." Johanna was the Quidditch Captain last year or Gryffindor. "I had to escort some people off the pitch."

"I saw that." Sirius commented. "You dragged that girl out of there."

"Well the girls may seem nice, but they're bitches when they don't get what they want." Loralei told him, as they descended the stairs.

"Never would've guessed." He said, sarcastically.

Loralei rolled her eyes. "I'm consistent, I'm a bitch all the time."

"No you're not." He said.

"That's because I'm not a complete bitch to you." Loralei told him. "And I don't plan on being one to you."

"Good." Sirius replied. "I don't plan on making you one."

"Good," she smiled, looking up at him. "Are you going to go to tryouts tomorrow?"

"Yeah, I figure I could work on my commentary on the game." He said.

"Maybe a little less biased this year?" She asked.

"Never." He told her, grinning.

She rolled her eyes as they got off the staircase and into an empty corridor.

"It's down here?" He asked, confused.

She shook her head. "No, it's down the next one."

"So why are we here?" He asked.

"Let's see," she said. "Abandoned corridor, the only time we'll be alone tonight...what do you think?"

"I think you want to snog." He said.

"Ooh, smart boy," she teased, putting herself between the wall and him, before releasing his hand to pull on his shirt so he would lean down enough for her to kiss him.

She never liked kissing in front of anyone. If there was anyone around who wanted to make a little money all they had to do was snap a picture and sell it to the tabloids, she had a few choice spots around Hogwarts, this corridor being one of them.

When she heard footsteps, she broke away, looking over his shoulder to see who it was.

"What?" Sirius asked.

"I heard something." She muttered.

"So?"

"So, your face is never plastered on the Daily Prophet or Witch Weekly like mine is." She said.

He sighed. "I'm going to have to get used to that."

"Yeah, one of the wonderful reasons for being me." She said sarcastically. "One day they'll lay off."

"When you're old."

"Hopefully before then." She said. "We should be going now. We're probably late."

"So?"

"You may always be late, I am, however not." She said smiling as she pulled him with her.

When they arrived, dinner was already served, and they made their excuses which most of the students rolled their eyes and Professor Slughorn, who was a walrus of a man, smile and say, "Young love."

It was the most boring dinner, where mostly Loralei whispered to Sirius or Lily, who were sitting on either side of her, until Slughorn excused himself for a moment, that's when the comments came.

"So, Black." Severus Snape asked. "How long until you get bored?"

"What do you mean?" Sirius asked innocently.

"Severus, be quiet." Loralei said. "This is none of your business."

"Aren't we friends, Loralei?" Severus asked.

"Yeah, but this has nothing to do with you." Loralei said. "Butt out."

"So you're fine with being cheated on?" He asked.

Loralei scoffed and rolled her eyes. "He knows better than that."

Severus rolled his eyes.

"Drop it, Sev." Lily told him. "It is none of your business."

He shut up, but looked at Loralei ask if saying, "Just you wait."

Loralei got up, the chair screeching on the stone floor. "Ready to go?"

Sirius stood up too. "Yeah."

"Lil, tell Professor Slughorn thank you for such a wonderful night." Sarcasm leaked into Loralei's voice as she spoke.

"Okay," she said, but Lily wasn't sure if Loralei heard her, since she was already walking away, Sirius' arm around her waist.


	5. Chapter 5

Just as Loralei predicted without a vision, James told her the next morning he was going to be late, and told her to find the best players for beaters and a new Chaser, and then he'd be there.

She walked out onto the pitch the next day to warm herself up before the people trying out got there. Her brother may be good on the broom, but she could do more tricks.

She was wearing her uniform, a scarlet sweater with gold lining and tan stirrup pants. Her long strawberry blonde hair tied back in a high ponytail.

She stretched out first, knowing it was going to be a long day. Sirius showed up when she went down into the splits.

"Wow." He said, as she flattened her body to the leg in front of her.

"I used to be better." She told him, turning and switching legs.

"Really?" He said. "I don't believe it."

"I could've been great at ballet, too bad I hated it." Loralei said. "I love Quidditch though."

"Of course, otherwise you would've quit." He said.

She stood up, and picked up her broom. "So are you going to practice your commentary or what?" She teased.

"All right." He cleared his throat. "Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the great Loralei Potter on the field. She flies like it's the easiest thing in the world, never falling."

She laughed as she put the broom between her legs and pushed off the ground to fly a few feet above him. "Go on." She said as she moved she was hanging off it, only held on by her legs and hands.

"She does tricks like no other. Flinging herself through the air like she has wings." He said as she kept moving through the air, now upside down.

When she gets to a good speed, she swings herself up so she's riding the broom how she was taught to.

He keeps describing her moves as she does spirals and dives until some people show up to watch her as she flies, sometimes so fast she's a blur, sometimes doing a spiral while she's going at her fastest comfortable speed, until she lands in front of the people trying out and her teammates. Frank Longbottom, who was their Keeper, and Alice Stewart, who was their other Chaser besides James.

"Hello," she said, slightly breathless. "Welcome to Gryffindor Quidditch tryouts. I'm Loralei Potter, Seeker, I'm in charge when my brother isn't around, and I will be cutting down the group in front of me by half." She told the group of twenty people. "I would like my teammates behind me, and the people trying out for beater over here," she pointed to her left. "And the chasers over here," she pointed to her right.

The group split, Frank and Alice standing behind her, twelve people going to the beater side, and six going to the chasers.

She got the quaffle out of the box and tossed it to Frank. "Take the Chasers one at a time and try to get them to get the quaffle passed you. Tell me who the best three are."

"All right," Frank said before he took the group of Chasers and got them on their brooms and went to the posts.

"Alice, you're a decent beater, correct?" Loralei asked.

She nodded. "I'm all right."

"Good, take the beaters and start by throwing this-" she threw a muggle tennis ball at her. "-At them, then who can do that give them to me."

Alice nodded. "All right, do you want it in the air or on the ground?"

"Both, start on the ground then go into the air." Loralei told her. "If they can't do that they shouldn't be here."

She laughed. "At least James isn't here this year so a bunch of girls don't show up."

Loralei rolled her eyes. "He's showing up when I find the good players."

Alice laughed. "Smart boy."

"He has his moments." Loralei agreed. "I'm going to be watching from here."

Alice nodded. "Beaters, come over here." She called, as she turned her back on Loralei and hitched her broom on her shoulder.

"So you just have to watch?" Sirius asked.

Loralei nodded. "Pretty much."

He nodded.

"I actually want to watch from up there." She told him, getting on her broom. "Wanna come?"

Sirius got on behind her putting his arms around her waist, and she zoomed to where she could watch the tryouts taking place.

He tried to distract her a little bit, but she was focused on the tryouts, wanting to find the best possible people on the pitch to be a part of her team. The blonde brother and sister were pretty good beaters, and the olive skinned girl with long black shiny hair was a good chaser. They stuck out to her, but the ginger haired, fair skinned boy was decent too.

When her brother showed up, she called them all to break to have a team meeting while the people trying out were getting water.

Alice and Frank both agreed with her, while Sirius listened in.

In the end, Loralei got her way, the brother and sister were Sarah and John Smith, and the olive-skinned girl was Serena Brigs.

Loralei took a quick shower before meeting James in the Room of Requirement, they had it fashioned into a plain room with mirrors covering all the walls.

"All you need to do is feel it." He told her. "Focus on becoming a dog."

She laughed as she pulled out her wand and waving it over herself, closing her eyes. She kept her shape though, she stayed human.

She let out a frustrated sigh after the third time of trying it.

"You're over thinking it." James told her, stopping her from trying it again. "Take a deep breath and close your eyes."

She did as he told her, and he moved her wand over her body, and when she opened her eyes, she was a medium sized white dog.

She let out a surprised bark, before going on her hind legs and putting her front paws on his chest trying to hug him, before changing into a human again.

She did this a few more times, before calling it a day, and going to the common room.

She opened the window to let in some cool air before crashing on her bed, and falling instantly asleep.

_She was striding over to Severus, only he was much older, probably in his twenties, meaning she was too. Late twenties by the look of it. His hair was greasy as always, but it had gotten longer, down to his shoulders now. They were still in Hogwarts though, she recognized the corridor to the Dungeons. _

_"Potter, what are you doing here?" He asked coldly._

_"You know why I'm here, Severus." Loralei replied. "I had another dream."_

_"I'm patrolling the corridors tonight, Loralei." He told her._

_"You finish at eleven." She said. "Only another hour."_

_"I'll be in your room then." He told her. "But what would Black say if he knew?"_

_"He's the reason why James and Lily are dead and why I can't have my nephew." Loralei said, though it was in a monotone, like she didn't believe a word of it._

_"Sex with his enemy, if I ever see him, promise me I can tell him." Severus hissed._

_Loralei turned on her heel, and walked out, her hair was still the same light strawberry blonde color, but it now hung around her waist in a curtain, her flowing skirt blowing behind her at the speed she was going._

Loralei awoke in a cold sweat, breathing hard, before reaching for her velvet notebook and wrote it down. It was a prophecy, or it might be.

She felt gross, having sex with Severus? He used to be nice, but she wouldn't lower her standers to that. Ever. She felt confident enough in that.

Loralei pushed herself up, realizing it was nearly dinnertime, and she pulled on her jeans and shoes before going downstairs to find some food, and hopefully find someone to distract her from the dream she had.

"Are you really with Sirius Black?" Asked a brunette girl from Hufflepuff the next day.

Loralei regretted not just meeting Sirius in the common room, instead of in the quidditch pitch. If she had she wouldn't have to deal with the annoying girls that wanted the new scoop on the drama, or wanted to know if he was still free for them to date him. "Is that really any of your business?" Loralei replied, before trying to move around her.

"Come on, Potter." She said, not letting Loralei pass. "Just tell me."

"I don't even know your name." Loralei said. "Why should I tell you anything?"

"Because I'm the girl he shagged last year." She told her. "Don't make my mistake."

"You're Melanie."

"Yeah."

Loralei paused. "I won't."

"You're not listening to me." Melanie said persuasively. "He may seem sweet, but after he's not the same. I don't want you to feel the same way i did and I don't even know you."

Loralei nodded, not knowing how to respond. "I'm sorry he did that to you."

"I saw it coming." Melanie brushed it off. "I'm over it, I'm with a really good guy now."

"That's good." Loralei said. "Do you mind if I ask who?"

"Amos Diggory, he's the year above me." She told Loralei with a smile. "So you are with him?"

Loralei nodded. "Almost, we won't be official until October. It's a long story."

Melanie smiled. "Who knows, since you're a Potter you might be safe from him, plus you have him wrapped around your finger."

Loralei returned her smile. "My brother, Lily, and Remus gave him rules before he could ask me out."

Melanie laughed quietly. "You are different from most of the girls here though. You never were one of his groupies."

Loralei shrugged. "I never got why anyone would follow someone around."

"Smart too." Melanie added.

"And you're brave to do something like this." Loralei replied. "Someone could hex you for dissing their boyfriend."

"I was hoping you wouldn't believe he's something he's not." She said. "I know what he did to you in first year."

"I got him back for that." Loralei said. "I don't take anything laying down."

"Oh I know, I remember when you dyed his hair Slytherin green for starting that rumor that you were half house elf." She said. "You're one of the few girls that don't let him off easy. I want to make sure you don't change that."

"I don't let anyone off easy." Loralei grinned, holding out her hand. "Friends?"

Melanie took it. "Friends."

"I ran into Melanie," Loralei said, as she sat on the bleachers above him so her legs were next to him.

He froze. "And how was that?"

"I like her." Loralei said. "She's a good person."

"What did you talk about?"

"You, actually." Loralei told him. "Then a little about her new boyfriend and the Muggle Studies essay due tomorrow."

He seemed surprised. "She didn't try to tell you to leave me?"

"No, just told me to be careful." Loralei told him. "I like her."

"Of course you do." He groaned. "Current girlfriend and ex girlfriends aren't supposed to get along."

"Watch us." Loralei teased, nudging him with her knee.

Sirius rolled his eyes and changed the subject. "You missed Mr. and Mrs. Potter fighting last night." Mr. and Mrs. Potter is what they nicknamed Lily and James.

"What about this time?" Loralei asked.

"Us." Sirius told her. "How I didn't do anything to Snivillus when he was being a snarky bastard and let you handle it."

Loralei smiled. "Well I can't blame her, you did exactly what I asked."

"She didn't know that." Sirius told her.

"Her problem." Loralei decided.

Sirius turned towards her and raised an eyebrow. "What's changed?"

"I'm done with their fighting for no reason. It's not flirty give-and-take arguing we do, it's go-for-the-jugular fighting." Loralei complained. "It's like, snog already."

Sirius chuckled. "It's not for Prongs' lack of trying."

Loralei laughed. "I'm going to trap them with that magical mistletoe this Christmas and we'll see what happens."

Sirius shook his head. "She's going to kill you."

"I'm better at spells than her." Loralei replied. "Plus I'm pretty good at a fast getaway on a broom."

"I don't know, she has a temper, haven't had that the brunt of it myself, but I've heard a good few stories and witnessed even more." Sirius said.

"Yeah, but I'm not in love with her so I don't let her slide by like James does." Loralei replied.

"You don't let anyone slide. If someone pisses you off you tell them." Sirius told her.

She smiled. "Unless they do something really bad, then they don't hear a word from me."

"Now I know when to get scared." Sirius said.

She laughed. "Well you aren't supposed to upset me, remember?"

"Oh yeah...I'm gonna have to remember that one."

She smacked his arm with her hand. "Yeah, remember that one."

He grabbed her hand and stood up. "Come on, I want to take you somewhere."

She got up. "Okay..."

"Promise you won't ask any questions until we get there."

"I'll try." She rolled her eyes, but let him lead her off the bleachers, and towards the Whomping Willow, until she stopped.

"Do you know how to get passed that?" She asked.

He rolled his eyes and pulled out his wand to immobilize the tree. "Better?"

She smiled. "Much."

He pulled her into the Shrieking Shack, where she gasped.

"This is where they take Remus? He's the reason they think this place is haunted?" She asked.

He nodded. "We should've told you earlier..."

"Yes, you should have!" She told him. "I was the first one to know!"

He laughed. "It's going to be fun this month when you try to sneak out without Evans knowing..."

Loralei rolled her eyes. "I'll just say I fell asleep in your dorm."

"Then I get killed by her." Sirius said.

"Not like that." She told him. "Stop making your mind go to the dirty place. I used to fall asleep in your dorm all the time."

"Now we're dating." He said. "Everyone's going to think we're sleeping together."

"Screw them." Loralei said. "I don't care about them, do you?"

He shook his head. "Just saying." He said as he took them through the house and out of it.

"So we're going to Hogsmeade?" Loralei said. "If we get caught we're dead."

"I'll make sure you get out alive." He promised, before holding the door open for her.

"Ooh, gentleman." She smiled, as she stepped out the door. "You're looking at my arse."

"You know me so well." He said.

"Operation: Get Sirius To Check Me Out: Complete." Loralei laughed.

"I forgot about that. It only lasted until I followed you on the train." He told her.

She laughed. "James needs to hex you."

"You're not gonna tell him." Sirius said.

"Probably not." Loralei agreed. "So where are you taking me?"

"I thought you said you wouldn't ask questions?" He asked.

"I said I'd try." She replied. "I failed."

"Clearly."

She pushed against him. "Shut up."

"You're gonna have fun." He told her. "You could be a little nicer."

"Oh yes, of course." She said sarcastically, grabbing his arm as they walked and looking up at him with big eyes. "I'm so sorry, Siri, I take it all back. Please forgive me."

He rolled his eyes, and put his arm around her shoulders. "You're the only girl I've ever done anything for and you still reply with sarcasm? I'm a masochist."

"Yes, yes you are, and that's okay." She teased, putting her arm around his waist.

"Yeah, sure." He said, rolling his eyes, as they entered the village.

She laughed. "What if we get seen?"

"We won't." He promised. "Trust me."

She bit her lip, before saying, "Okay." Meaning much more than he knew, she only trusts a few people, and she just realized that he is one of them.

He takes her to the Three Broomsticks, for butterbeer off the tap; the best kind.

He doesn't even check out the waitress, which Loralei gives him credit for, Rosemerta is a beautiful woman, and enjoys showing off her assets.

"Thank you." Loralei tells him after they get their drinks. "This is great."

"I knew you'd like it." He said.

"It's nice to get out of the castle." She said. "I love Hogwarts and all, but the people get on my nerves."

"Who?" He asked.

"Your fan club, plus girls that want to get the rumors started." She told him. "They don't come up to me." He replied.

"You're less approachable." She informed him.

"How so?" He asked skeptically.

"Well, let's see, you're popular and you used to hex Slytherins in the halls for no reason. You have this whole tall, dark, and handsome things going on that is kinda intimidating when someone doesn't know you." She said. "There's more, but I don't remember exactly what that girl said to me..."

"You're taking this from one of the girls that talked to you?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I asked her the same question you asked me." She told him.

He laughed. "That's great. What did you say to that?"

"I kind of just walked away. It's not like they can stop me." Loralei told him, taking a sip of her butterbeer.

"Sounds like you." He commented.

She smiled, her index finger tracing the rim of her mug. "They started following me once, I don't know how you can do it." She teased. "Being followed around by little girls."

"You'll get used to it." He told her. "It comes with being awesome."

She rolled her eyes. "I've been awesome my entire life, why is this just happening now?"

He just laughed in response.

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	6. Chapter 6

"Where have you been?" Lily demanded when Loralei got to their room that night.

"Sirius took me out for butterbeer, then we got dinner. We kinda lost track of time." She told her, as if nothing was wrong, like she didn't sneak out and break a dozen school rules.

"I'm a prefect!" Lily said. "I'm supposed to catch people who sneak out!"

"You didn't catch me." Loralei noted, shrugging off Sirius' jacket which he gave her when she got cold earlier. "You didn't catch us."

Lily groaned. "Everyone was worried!"

"Would you keep it down?" Alice asked from her bed. "I have an early class in the morning, unlike you two."

"Sorry, Lily's being a hard ass." Loralei told her.

"Lay off her until the morning." Alice groaned, before disappearing behind her curtains again.

"The Alice has spoken." Loralei whispered loudly, sitting on her bed and pulling off her boots.

Lily shook her head and frowned at Loralei before getting back into her bed.

"That would be a lot more menacing if you weren't in pajamas with smiley faces covering them." Loralei whispered to her, before getting shushed by the three sleeping girls.

Loralei fell asleep quickly that night, replaying the date over and over in her dreams. Her favorite part was when he gave her his jacket and told her to keep it. She would have stolen it anyway, but it was good to hear he was okay with it.

The next morning, Loralei was dead to the world. Every time she blinked she would have to force herself to open her eyes again. When it was announced Potions was canceled today since they still couldn't used the classroom that NEWT students all but blew up the day before, Loralei let out a sigh and finished her coffee.

"I'm going back to bed." Loralei said, standing up.

"I wouldn't." Alice told her. "Lily put a charm on it if someone falls asleep there before eight at night something happens."

Loralei groaned. "She's really mad at me, isn't she?"

"She's only jealous." Alice told her. "No guy would do for her what he's doing for you."

"I would!" Said James from a few people down the table, but Alice nor Loralei gave him any attention.

Loralei looked like if she wasn't so tired she would go find her redheaded friend and kill her.

"I think I'll go to bed too." Sirius said. "Come on, our dorm isn't charmed."

"Nothing funny, got it?" James told him.

Sirius rolled his eyes. "You're the one that went there."

Loralei just nodded, her eyes half open and looking as if she would fall asleep any second.

Sirius took her hand, carefully leading her up to the dormitory like she was a breakable as a china doll. He knew that if she remembered any of this, she would tell him off for it, but from her state of tripping over stairs, and him being the only thing holding her up, he doubted it.

He ended up carrying her up the stairs to the his dormitory, and put her on his bed, when he was turning to go to one of the other beds, she grabbed his hand and pulled on it.

"It's big enough for two." She said sleepily, moving to make room for him.

He paused, before laying down next to her, hoping that if James came in he would realize that they were both wearing clothes before he was awoken with a punch to the face.

She snuggled into his side, and he put his arm around her. She was asleep in seconds, but he wasn't. He just realized what he had gotten himself into.

Sirius was never the "boyfriend" type; or wasn't, until recently. The small blonde girl in his arms made him that way, there's no other girl in the world he would do this for.

When he came up with this deal there was a small part of him that thought she would say no, and she still could at any time. He didn't want to, but he knew that she's going to be the one to break up with him if they broke up at all. He hated that she thought that he's going to cheat on her or lose interest, he's been in love with her for a year and he has a chance now. He'd rather die than screw it up.

Unlike so many of the girls he had dated, she was real. She didn't wear so much makeup she looked like plastic, she wasn't afraid to break a nail or get her hair wet, she didn't try to be perfect, which only made her more perfect to him. She always had something to say even if she said something no one else agreed with.

She had her faults too. Not knowing when to be quiet, she also couldn't focus on anything for too long because she would get bored. When she was studying or training for quidditch she would get into a zone that no one but herself could wake her up from. She also had a habit for telling off the paparazzi when she caught them taking pictures of her and her friends, which only would make the situation worse.

He knew all about her faults, but he couldn't help but think they were cute. Cute! Sirius Black, the womanizer of Hogwarts was head over heels for his best friend's little sister that never even meant to flirt with him if she ever did. The only girl who openly stood up to him about everything he did wrong. She challenged him on everything, when he hexed a third year last year, she didn't just tell him off, no, that would be too easy to get off with, she used the same hex on him that he did on the third year Hufflepuff, only stronger since she was better with spells and hexes than him. He learned quickly that Loralei wasn't not only was for equality, but she was a philanthropist too. She was only safe from the ridicule that others would face if they did the same thing as her, because she was not only the Minister's daughter, a Potter, on the quidditch team, and above all, one of the best spell casters in the school. Seventh years would duel her and lose.

Lily would just walk away from confrontation, unless it was one of her friends, then she would help them out, but Loralei didn't need help, she would stand up for anyone, if it was a Slytherin, or someone who she hated, even if after she would use what she did to guilt them into being a nicer person.

He was genuinely sorry for what he put her through in their first year, he just didn't know how to deal with their first crush at eleven years old. He got better with it as he aged. He didn't lie when he said he loved her last year, it was the year he realized that he loved her.

Sirius fell asleep a half hour into the two hours they had off, until he was being shaken by Loralei.

"Wake up!" She said frantically. "We're gonna be late!"

"Who cares?" He asked. "It's Herbology, I'll help you with it later."

The offer was tempting; she knew she would barely keep up with the lesson and have to have someone explain it to her later.

"Remus will give us the homework. What else do you have today?"

"Muggle Studies." Loralei told him.

"We'll go to that class, okay?" He said, rubbing his eyes.

"Real studying?" She asked in a childlike way. "Not snogging around books?"

"Real studying." He promised. "Go back to sleep." He turned to his side, pinning her to the bed, her back to him, and making her giggle.

"If my grade goes down I'm blaming you." She told him.

"Do you really want to go to class?" He asked.

"No..." She muttered, intwining his fingers with hers.

"So don't. They won't miss us." He whispered into her hair.

"The boys and Lily will." She told him.

"Evans is already pissed at you, and they won't care. They've skipped more classes than you, they have no room to talk." He told her.

"You win," she decided, before closing her eyes. "I like sleeping with you."

He chuckled. "Really?" He asked sarcastically.

"That didn't sound so dirty in my head." She giggled, taking off her tie. "How did I sleep in that?"

"You like being choked to death in your sleep." He muttered.

She giggled. "Wow, I'm a masochist then..."

"I won't hold it against you." He told her quietly. "Go to sleep."

"Why weren't you in class today?" Lily demanded, crossing her arms in front of Loralei, who was sitting on the couch.

Loralei shrugged as she did her homework that Remus had gotten for her during Herbology, filling out a chart for uses of mandrake root. "I forgot to wake up."

"You didn't sleep in our room, otherwise your hair would be purple." Lily told her. "Where were you?"

Loralei rolled her eyes. "I slept in the boy's room."

"That's against the rules!" Lily said, shocked.

"So is jinxing someone's bed, but you did that Miss Prefect." Loralei said, writing down something on her chart.

"You're not taking me seriously!" Lily growled, getting more annoyed. "If you fail your OWL's this year, that's it! You'll live off your parents money for the rest of your life."

Loralei opened her mouth, her tongue going over the inside of her lower lip; not a good sign, she only did this when she was severely mad at someone. "Well, I'm sorry, Miss Lily Perfect Evans, not all of us know that. What new information!" She said sarcastically, putting her homework carefully next to her on the couch, and standing up to face her friend head on. "I had no idea that if I fail my OWL's I'll never get into any program. How daft of me!" She slapped her palm to her forehead, when she pulled it away her face was murderous. "Lily, not everyone's a fun sucker like you. I already know I'm going to get an A at most on my Herbology OWL, so I figured I could save my energy for something that could help me. Thank you so much for your concern."

Lily opened and closed her mouth twice before replying to her. "You need to-"

"Oh, shouldn't you be taking dungbombs from first years or something?" Loralei asked nastily, before turning around and grabbing her half-finished chart and walking away.

"Where are you going?" Lily yelled.

"Quidditch practice, unlike you I have better things to do than get in a fight!" She said, stomping up the stairs to get dressed.

Lily noticed the people who was watching the little fight. "Who wants detention?"

Everyone went quickly back to what they were doing, not wanting to get the brunt of the Prefect's anger.

"Loralei..." Lily said that night while Loralei was getting ready for bed.

"Save it, I don't feel like being reprimanded." Loralei told her as she pulled on her pajamas, her long hair was wet from her shower and in a braid down her back, she wore a black tank top and red and black plaid pajama pants.

"You never used to act like this." Lily told her. "Black's changing you."

"He's not." Loralei replied. "I'm just different, it's been a long time coming too. I used to sneak out with the boys all the time, it's just you never noticed."

Lily paused. "Why are you showing it now?"

"Maybe because everyone is telling me who I am, you're telling me I'm a good girl, most of the Hogwarts female population is calling me a slut, I'm just done with it. This is me, this is who I am, if you don't like it, fine." Loralei said, angrily folding her clothes.

"Why didn't you show me sooner?" Lily asked.

"A lot happens in a summer, especially when you're with Remus a lot, he should be a therapist, I swear." Loralei gave Lily a small smile. "Sorry about earlier."

"Me too, I just rarely see you skip a class so early in the year." Lily said, returning the smile.

"It's Herbology, I'll skip it any day of the year." Loralei told her.

Lily laughed softly. "I know. I don't like it either, but I need it to become a healer."

Loralei nodded. "That's why I'm either going to be an Auror or a teacher."

"You'd be a good teacher." Lily said. "If you can get Black to pass tests, you can teach anyone."

Loralei laughed. "It's not hard when someone hangs on your every word."

"So all the boys will be easy to teach." Lily raised an eyebrow.

"I guess." Loralei laughed. "If I stay beautiful."

Lily leaned close to Loralei. "You're half veela, you'll be beautiful for the rest of your life."

"Have you ever seen a veela age?" Loralei asked.

"No," Lily said.

"I haven't either, maybe we get really ugly at fifty." Loralei laughed, laying down in her bed. "Come here, we shouldn't keep the other girls up."

Lily jumped over to Loralei's bed, and laid next to her, closing the curtains, and only keeping a candle on the nightstand.

"So what were you really doing during class?" Lily whispered.

"Sirius and I were sleeping." Loralei murmured back. "Nothing funny, we just fell asleep."

"And you always sleep better next to someone." Lily added.

"Of course." Loralei replied.

"Why is that? Do you feel safer not being alone or something?" She asked.

"It's more like I know that someone I love is safe. Plus, when it's cold-"

"You're always cold." Lily interrupted.

"-They're warm." Loralei finished, laughing quietly.

"That's cute." Lily said. "He didn't try anything?"

"Perfect gentleman." Loralei told her quietly, and a little proudly.

"That's good." Lily said quietly. "I'm happy he's changing, he seems sweet when you talk to him, hasn't hexed someone yet."

"Because he knows I don't approve." Loralei whispered. "He doesn't want to screw up with me."

"If it counts for anything, I don't think he will." Lily said. "I wish I could find a guy that would change for me."

"You will." Loralei told her. "Everyone has to have a love story of some sort. I just hope neither of ours ends in tragedy."

"Of course not, why would you say that?" Lily asked quietly.

"There's a war going on, Lily." Loralei said. "I don't know about you, but given the chance I'm fighting. If I have kids I want them to be safe."

"I bet your mother loved it when you told her that." Lily whispered sarcastically.

"Oh, she did. She told me that if I got killed she'd bring me back just to kill me again." Loralei giggled.

"Only you would laugh at death." Lily replied.

"What's there to fear?" Loralei asked. "It's just a new phase. I was taught death is peaceful, and where everyone you love is waiting for you. If that is what's after this world, why should I be scared of it."

"You're too brave for you're own good, Loralei Potter." Lily said, playfully poking her stomach. "What are you going to do for Black's birthday?" She asked, changing the subject.

"No idea yet."Loralei frowned. "I've been trying to find things that he would like, but I keep coming up empty, I'm hoping I get some inspiration when we go to Hogsmeade this weekend."

"You will, you notice things." Lily told her. "I know you have a list of things to get for everyone."

"But I want to get him something that's special." Loralei said, a whining note entering her voice. "He can buy anything he wants, and will. You, James, and Remus are all too easy, James will have anything to do with quidditch, you and Remus love books and chocolate, and if I turn you on to a new book you both are so happy."

Lily smiled. "Because you don't over think it with us. What's the most romantic gift that you can think of for him? You have until November." Lily sat up. "I'm going to go to sleep now. Think about what I said, something will come to you."

Loralei nodded as Lily went to her bed, and snuggled under her covers. "Night Lil."

"Night Lore," Lily replied.

Loralei leaned to blow out the candle, before laying down.

It wasn't until early the next morning that she sat straight up in bed, saying triumphantly. "Lily, I've got it!" But all she got in return was groans from her sleeping dorm mates.


	7. Chapter 7

"Remus?" Loralei asked, opening the door to the boy's room.

"Sirius isn't here." He told her, standing in front of a mirror as he tied his tie.

"I know, I watched him leave." Loralei told him, raising up the invisibility cloak. "I needed to talk to you."

"What about?" He asked.

"Siri's birthday is next month." Loralei said. "So, I was wondering if you had any copies of pictures?"

"Pictures?" He asked. "Why?"

"I know you and Peter take pictures, you have been from first year. I owled my mum, and she's going to send me some, but I need some from school, I only have a few."

Remus nodded. "I'll get you some this weekend. What are you going to do with them?"

"Photo album, of all our happy memories." Loralei said. "I'm going to start taking pictures now on our dates and stuff, and I hope by November that I'll have a good enough collection for him."

Remus nodded. "That's a good idea."

"Thank you." Loralei said brightly. "I needed something that's special enough."

"I think he's going to be surprised that you thought this much about it." Remus replied, smiling. "You have him wrapped around your finger, you could do anything and he'd love it."

"Well this will be a nice surprise then, won't it?" Loralei smiled. "Promise not to tell?"

"Promise. I'll get you the pictures later." He told her.

She hugged him. "Thanks, Remmy."

"How is that going by the way?" He asked.

"Great," Loralei said, biting her lip. "I-it's great."

"What's wrong?" Remus asked.

"I'm a little nervous about Hogsmeade this weekend. What if reporters are there?" Loralei asked, scrunching up her nose in distaste.

"What do you usually do?" Remus asked.

"Ignore them, or tell them off." Loralei told him. "But this is different, this might actually last more than three months, and I don't want the headline to be, 'Loralei Dating Family Friend Sirius Black: How Long With They Last?' You know?"

"Have you told him about this?" Remus asked her.

She shook her head.

"Then you need to, because James and I aren't going to be the go between for you guys." He told her gently.

"I know." She nodded. "I'm just so used to warning guys about it, not being worried about the article."

"I know. I remember in Third year when you and James were always under that cloak." Remus smiled.

"It was our first time without someone watching over us, we've kind of gotten used to it since then." She told him.

"I know, I counted the asterisks in the last article about you." He told her.

"How many were there?" She asked, honestly curious.

"I think there was eleven." He told her. "I was a little surprised there weren't more."

"You should be." She told him. "They should have something better to do than follow a teenage girl around."

"Couldn't you ask for an Auror to go with you places?" Remus asked.

"Dad's actually been threatening to do that since the war's getting bad." Loralei told him, clearly not liking the idea. "He seems to think the Deatheaters are going to take interest in his kids."

"It's one way to get him to do what they say." Remus commented.

Loralei nodded. "I guess." She ran her hand through her hair. "Have you heard the plan for next week?" She asked, hoping he would get she was talking about the full moon next week.

"Yeah, you're going too?" He asked.

She nodded. "I'm making the awakening potion this weekend."

He nodded slowly, chewing on the inside of his cheek. "What if something goes wrong and I bite you?"

"You won't." She told him. "And if you do it's our own faults. We'll be in our forms, we'll be fine. They only way you can turn us is if we're human."

"I was watching when you were practicing yesterday, you kept slipping."

"I have a week to get better." Loralei told him. "If I can't hold it, I won't go, but I know I can."

"If I asked you not to go, would you?" He asked.

"I have to go, Remmy, we're family, I want to be there for you." He said. "Just don't go this month, let James, Peter, and Sirius try it out first. It gives you more time for practice and we can see how things go."

She pauses, opening her mouth and closing it before looking down and answering. "Is this because I'm a girl? I can fight better than either of them."

"No," he told her.

"Why don't you want me to go?" She asked.

"Because I know people have been giving you shit for dating Sirius, if you're not found in your bed the next morning, that's going to cause a whole lot more than rumors." He told her.

She nodded. "Fine, I won't go this time, but you can't keep me away forever, I want to be there for you."

"You are." He told her. "I know you are."

She looked at the watch on his wrist and sighed. "I have to get to class, Remmy, I'll see you later." She smiled sadly, and turned to walk to the door.

"Oh, Lore?" Remus asked, when she opened the door.

"Yeah?" Loralei asked, looking over her shoulder.

"We both know you could beat anyone with or without a wand." He told her.

She laughed lightly. "At least you're the only one who's honest." She teased, before bouncing down the stairs, giggling as she went.

Loralei was not a happy girl by the time it was Friday night. She just wanted to get away from everyone, and if one more person had something nasty to say to her, she couldn't be held responsible for her reaction.

"Hey, Gryffinwhore." Said a jealous mousey brown haired Ravenclaw, who thought she was so clever.

When Loralei opened her mouth to respond, Melanie beat her to it.

"Piss off Clara." She told the girl, linking arms with Loralei. "You're just pissed that you're not bright or beautiful."

The girl jutted out her jaw stubbornly. "Oh, so you're like, all three together? That's like, so sweet."

"Says the girl no one loves." Loralei's lips twitched into a sickly sweet false smile. "Maybe if you had a life you'd leave mine alone."

"Do you want to know what I find funny, Loralei?" Melanie asked.

"What, Mel?" Loralei asked, playing along.

"I find it funny that girls like that-" she gestured to the Ravenclaw in front of them. "-Thinks you care about what they think."

Loralei laughed. "That is a good question!" She turned to the girl in front of them. "Why do you think I care? Wait-I don't even care about why you think I do!" She stared walking away.

"Bitch!" The Ravenclaw called after her.

"Proud of it, babe." Loralei replied.

Melanie laughed beside her, as they walked, and when they were out of earshot of the jealous girl, Melanie spoke.

"Crappy day?" She asked.

"Yeah. I have to say Gryffinwhore isn't the worst thing I've been called. A Slytherin sixth year asked if I was open for business, if you know what I mean." Loralei rolled her eyes. "Believe it or not I'm still a virgin."

"I believe it." Melanie said. "It's the other bitches that need to get lives and stop chasing a dream of being with some guy, that's not even as perfect as everyone thinks."

"I just want to hex them sometimes." Loralei agreed.

"Maybe after a few weeks they'll forget about it." Melanie said, hopefully.

"I doubt it." Loralei replied unhappily. "I just think it's so stupid how I'm getting so much crap and he isn't."

"Welcome to the village of catty teenage girls." Melanie rolled her eyes. "It'll get better."

"There's no way it can get worse." Loralei replied. "I should not have said that." She pressed her hand to her forehead. "It's going to get worse."

Melanie rubbed Loralei's shoulder. "It's going to be all right, you still have your friends, it'll all be okay."

Loralei nodded, sighing as she let her hand fall back to her side. "Want to go to the library with me? I'm going to get my homework done tonight since it's a Hogsmeade weekend and I have quidditch practice on Sunday."

"Sure, I think I'll do the same, but I'll be sleeping all Sunday." Melanie replied.

Loralei laughed. "What I would do for a day of sleep..."

Melanie smiled. "They're rare in OWL year. My brother looked like he had black eyes all year when he was in his fifth, sixth, and seventh year."

"He was captain of the Hufflepuff Quidditch team, two years ago, right?" Loralei asked.

She nodded. "So I'm guessing you're going to have the same."

"I'll use makeup to cover up mine, though." Loralei's voice got quieter as they went into the library.

"Of course, I almost got him to." Melanie agreed.

Loralei giggled. "Why didn't he?"

"He didn't want the other guys to tear the mickey out of him." Melanie whispered, as they went to a table, and got their homework out. "If you help me with Divination, I'll help you with Herbology."

"Deal." Loralei told her. "How'd you know I was good at Divination?"

"You always answer her questions, and you're the only one that got an O." Melanie said. "You're good at Divination, I'm good at Herbology, perfect match, baby."

Loralei laughed quietly. "I forgot about that."

"Yeah, well all us barely passing people know who to go to for answers." Melanie teased. "I'm sure you give Sirius loads of help, even when we were dating he'd say he was busy with you studying."

Loralei sat down. "Yeah, and we were actually studying, I got him to pass last year's final." Loralei said proudly, before groaning. "I'm going to have to help him to pass his OWL in it now." She hit her forehead on the book she put in front of her.

Melanie laughed quietly, and patted Loralei's shoulder. "It's going to be okay."

Loralei sighed, sitting up and flipping her hair over her shoulders, and taking a quill and inkwell out of her bag. "Come on, let's get to work."

"All right."

**A/N Sorry for the short chapter! It's mostly a filler so there isn't one date a chapter. The next one will be their Hogsmeade weekend.**

**Please review!**

**Kat**


	8. Chapter 8

"We need to talk before we go today." Loralei said quietly, sitting next to Sirius at breakfast, placing a kiss on his cheek.

He paused, his fork halfway to his mouth. "What about?"

"Reporters." She told him, grabbing a handful of strawberries. "What happens if we are found together?"

"You tell me." He said. "It's you they'd be following, tell me what you want and I'll do it."

She nodded. "I want to handle it. It's not like they're going to catch us doing anything too bad. I think we should ignore them unless they get too annoying, and be ready to find one of the few Aurors that will probably be there, I know what they all look like." She said, taking a bite of a strawberry.

"All right." He replied. "But this doesn't change our plans, right?"

"Of course not, it's just so you know what you're getting into." Loralei told him. "I should've told you yesterday, but I got busy."

"Yeah I heard." He smiled. "I didn't know you could be a bitch, I like it."

Loralei laughed. "Good, because I'm not changing."

"I know better than to expect that." Sirius scoffed.

"Smart boy."

"Where are we going?" Loralei asked, they were out of the main part of Hogsmeade, where Loralei rarely went, she knew most of the village by heart, but not the outskirts.

"You'll see," he replied, smiling.

She pouted. "At some point I'm going to be disappointed with one of your surprises."

"Doubt it, I'm very imaginative." Sirius told her.

"Someday your imagination will run out." Loralei warned.

"That will be the day I die." He replied.

She grabbed his arm, and stopped him from walking, putting her hand on his shoulders and shaking him. "Don't die on me!" She cried.

He laughed, and she joined in.

"You're ridiculous." He told her.

"You love me." She replied, taking his hand as they started walking again.

He rolled his eyes. "Okay, we're here." He said, stopping them in front of a playground.

"A playground?" She asked, smiling. "Are you going to pull on my pigtails and say I have cooties?"

"You don't have pig tails." He told her.

She took two elastic bands off her wrist and put her hair in pigtails quickly. "Now I do."

He turned so they were facing each other head on, and let his right hand slide down her left pigtail. "You have cooties." He kissed her lightly on her lips.

She laughed. "Back to the good ol' days of my childhood."

"Of course, it's all a part of the Sirius Black package." He told her, playfully.

"Really? What else is a part of the package?" She asked, playing along, before he leaned down to kiss her again.

"SMILE!"

They both jumped, looking over to where a mousey man stood, holding a large professional camera, and looked an awful lot like a guy from the Daily Prophet.

"Who are you?" Loralei asked, angrily. "What the bleeding hell are you doing here?"

"Daily Prophet ma'am, can I get a quote?" He asked.

"No, you can give me your film though." Loralei said, stalking towards him, and holding out her hand for it, though she didn't expect him to give it to her.

"Who's this gentleman?" He asked, pointing the camera at Sirius, Loralei stepped in front of it, learning not to break the camera from an earlier experience.

"None of anyone's business, don't you have something better to do than follow me around?" Loralei cried. "No one cares about me or my life."

"I think they do, anything else to say? Miss Potter?"

"Yeah, Siri cover your ears." She opened her mouth, letting out a blood curdling scream.

Within seconds an Auror came to them.

"He's stalking me, Auror Williams," Loralei told him.

The Auror rolled his brown eyes. He was always Loralei's favorite guard, and he knew it, he was in his mid thirties with dark brown hair and chocolate brown eyes, skin tanned from the sun.

"This is a warning, come around Miss Potter again, and you will be arrested." The Auror told the short man. "Scram."

The reporter took out his wand, snapping one last picture and Apparating away.

"YOU'RE DATING SIRIUS? YOU DIDN'T EVEN TELL ME! YOUR OWN MOTHER! I HAD TO FIND OUT FROM YOUR FATHER THIS MORNING WHEN HE WAS READING THE DAILY PROPHET THIS MORNING!" A scarlet howler bellowed, making Loralei cringe every time her mother hit a high octave. "THIS IS NOT OKAY. WHEN I SEE YOU THIS CHRISTMAS WE WILL HAVE A TALK, UNLESS I WALK INTO YOUR SCHOOL TODAY." Her mother's voice calmed down. "I was sent word by Walgura Black this morning. She's sending her son congratulations on finally choosing a 'suitable' girl. I just hope that he is treating you well, both of you will be forced to go to the Ministy Ball this Christmas. Merlin, you two better still be together." With that the letter set itself aflame.

Loralei was still frowning, and clutching her pillow like it was a shield from the loud voice of her mother. She was just happy that her mother didn't make her get it in the great hall, though she was sure it would only inflate this problem instead of deflating it.

Loralei stopped crying over being the headline a while ago. The first time...it was terrible. Headmaster Dumbledore gave her parents permission to take her away from school for a weekend to help her shake it off. She was thirteen at the time.

Now, at Fifteen, she didn't have somewhere to hide, she just had to deal with it, she couldn't mope in bed today, she had quidditch practice in an hour, thought she hoped James would let her off the hook after yesterday, and the headline today.

She curled up on her side, hugging her pillow, and staring straight ahead of her. The worst part was this morning. As soon as one person got the paper; everyone did. She was the news of the day, outshining anyone who had any sort of good news or any rumor that could've taken up the day instead of her.

Could everyone just leave her alone? Couldn't she just date like a normal person? It wasn't this big when she dated anyone else, just with Sirius. Sure, when she was caught kissing Fabian their faces were everywhere, but they had already come officially out with their relationship, telling their families, and no one made it a big deal. Cool, they were dating, nothing more. Even the Paparazzi's pictures didn't really stir anything up. They were just them.

But with Sirius, he'd dated most of the girls in their year, apart from Slytherins, Alice, Lily and-until this year-Loralei. That's where most of the drama was coming from, his dating past. Loralei knew that some of the other students were taking bets on how long they would last, or when he would cheat on her. They didn't even try to hide it from Loralei, and she wishes they did.

After the Prophet decided to ruin their date, she just asked him to take her back to Hogwarts, and they just sat on the couch in the empty common room, both not saying a word.

Loralei knew Sirius thought she was having second thoughts, but she was wondering if he was too. She's high maintenance, she needed someone who could stand up with her, and to her, so far he was able to fill the part, what about when they have to go to the ball this Christmas.

She swore to herself when she was thirteen never to cry again, it didn't do anything, just made her eyes red and puffy.

Lily came in about an hour later, and sat next to her on her bed, putting Loralei's hair behind her ear.

"Are you okay?" She asked softly.

Loralei shook her head, not trusting her voice to speak.

"Everyone's worried. your brother said you don't have to go to practice today. Sirius has been trying to get up here since you left breakfast." Lily told her, running her fingers through her hair in a comforting way. "He's worried."

"I g-got a howler." Loralei told her softly. "Everyone knows now. Everyone."

"You weren't exactly trying to hide it." Lily told her. "But I take it you forgot to tell your parents."

"Yeah," Loralei muttered. "Who do you think the howler was from?"

"I'm sorry, Lore. I wish I could help." Lily told her. "It's not going to blow over any time soon, is it?"

"We have to go to this Ministry ball thing together." Loralei told her. "That's Christmas time, and we're going to be the talk of the party. Loralei Potter, daughter of Minister of Magic Charles Potter and Cordelia Potter dating friend of the family, Sirius Black son of Orion and Walgura Black." She groaned, smothering her face in her pillow.

"You should've seen this coming." Lily told her.

"I expected it to be more like me dating Fab, where after a few weeks no one cared." Her voice was muffled through the pillow.

"Well you weren't dating someone from the Noble Most Ancient House of Black." Lily mocked, proud when she got a quiet chuckle from Loralei.

"I hate his parents." Loralei groaned.

"He does too." Lily reminded her carefully. "I remember the first time you made headlines." She mused. "You cried."

"I'm done crying, it doesn't help at all." Loralei muttered into the pillow, Lily wasn't sure she heard right.

"You don't have to be strong all the time." Lily told her.

"If I'm not, who will be?" Loralei asked, moving so her face wasn't covered by the pillow anymore.

"We can take turns." Lily told her. "I can be the strong one, or Remus, or your brother, or...Sirius."

Loralei sighed. "I don't like counting on other people." She admitted.

"I know you don't, but sometimes you need to." Lily, said, pulling Loralei's hair behind her shoulder. "It helps lighten the load. Your brother lightened it by taking you off practice today, Remus corrected your charts, that lightens the load a bit. Professor Dumbledore is keeping reporters off the grounds, I'm sure that helps."

"It does, but it's the other three hundred people here that are making this hell." Loralei muttered, moodily. "They're all sending what they think of me to the Prophet just like last time."

"Fuck them." Lily told her, causing Loralei to look at her for the first time in surprise.

"You don't swear." Loralei said.

"I do when someone's hurting my friend." Lily told her. "No one in Gryffindor is selling you out-or at least not the ones that know you. The first year girls adore you since you braided their hair last weekend, and you're the Seeker for the team! When they realize that without you they'll lose the cup they'll be behind you. Even Melanie is. She came up to me after you left, she's worried."

"I'll talk to her in Divination tomorrow." Loralei told her.

Lily paused. "Is it weird being friends with your boyfriend's ex?"

Loralei shook her head. "She's not vindictive or bitter or anything. She's just looking out for other girls that were like her, I think that's why I like her, she has a good heart."

Lily nodded slowly. "That makes sense, but I take it you won't be having any double dates."

"For our boyfriend's sanity, no." Loralei smiled. A real smile, not one of the fake ones she can put on easily, but a real one that almost always comes with a small laugh escaping her lips, which this time, one did.

"Yes, no one would want to see Sirius go crazy, who's she dating?"

"Amos Diggory." Loralei told her. "I don't know him, but he's a Hufflepuff seventh year."

"That's good." Lily said.

"Yeah, and she's happy, so that's good." Loralei added.

Lily nodded. "Yeah, that really is."


	9. Chapter 9

The next weeks passed quickly, and overall the rumors and drama went down, not as much as Loralei and Sirius had hoped for, but enough so they weren't asked about it anymore, and if they were, in was in such a way that was easily walked away from or ignored.

Their dates stopped, instead they mostly hung out in the common room, or his dormitory, since he had still not found a way to get into hers without the staircase turning into a slide.

October came, and they only had to talk about how they were going to deal with his family. His parents were proud, which made Loralei sad and happy. Happy since they wouldn't try to break them up, or send her hate mail, sad because she knows how terrible his family is. She just hoped that she could get out of having dinner with them at some point.

"If they try I'll tell them no." Sirius had told her. "It's not like they can force you, and if they try you can always fake being sick."

She laughed at that.

Soon it was late October, and it was their first quidditch game against Ravenclaw. She was lacing up her brown boots, and putting on her gear, trying back her hair in a way that it couldn't become undone by wind or a bludger to the head, or falling off her broom.

She looked fierce, and ready to win.

James gave them a pep talk, that mostly had her rolling her eyes and making funny faces behind her brother's back, trying to make the new guys laugh. She succeeded.

Then they were on the Pitch, Sirius commentating it, and calling out all their names.

She took her position above all the other players, waiting for the game to begin.

She loved the adrenaline rush that she got from the game, from almost getting her scull smashed by the bludgers, or doing a dive, nearly planting her face in the ground going for the snitch. She'd only been seriously hurt once, and even then she was only knocked out for about six hours with three broken ribs, broken collarbone, and broken arm.

Now, she was above everyone, the other seeker was a boy, probably in third or forth year by the look of him, he was watching her, probably wanting to see how Gryffindor had won the cup all but one year when she was on the team.

The quaffle was released, and James was the first chaser to it, flying easily though the air, and dodging a bludger that was in his path. He scored the first point for Gryffindor.

"Good job Jamsie!" Sirius praised into the microphone so everyone could hear. "Ten points to Gryffindor."

Loralei laughed as her eyes searched for a little glint of gold that would be the snitch, or a blurr of brown that would be a bludger coming to smash one or more of her bones.

She saw that the other seeker was still watching her, looking for a sign that she saw the snitch, so she thought she could have a little fun with him.

She dove down, straight into the action, and cutting off two Ravenclaws that were after Alice and her brother for the quaffle. She was happy when she saw that the boy was following her, trying to catch up.

"It looks like Loralei Potter has seen the snitch," Sirius commented, "And it's only been ten minutes into the game. Give it another minute Lore! Give the poor boy a chance!"

"Mr. Bla-" Professor McGonagal scolded.

"Sorry, sorry, I'll be more professional." He apologized, though everyone knew he didn't mean a word.

Loralei tried not to laugh as she stopped abruptly and dove straight down, trying to freak the kid out, only to pull up when her heels were a foot from the ground.

The other seeker seemed to get she was messing with him as she kept going around the pitch, little did he know that she was stalking the snitch, not getting close enough to know it was being followed, but not getting too far away to get out of her sight. She just wanted to make sure that the audience got a good show, and that Ravenclaw was completely slaughtered. Not that she disliked the house, she was almost put in it, but because she wanted the points to win the house cup.

The match went on, and when she liked that they were eighty points ahead, she started to inch toward the snitch, from where she was halfway up the goalposts.

She heard a sickening crack, and moans from the audience.

"Stewart got hit by a bludger and is going down. Come on, Gryffindor beaters, get your act together!" Sirius said, as Alice, barely able to steer her broom, stumbled a bit before falling off her broom from a foot off the ground to where Madam Pomfrey was going towards here with a few other older students to get her.

Loralei swore. They had to win now.

She booked it after the snitch, until it was only a little ahead of her.

"Loralei Potter is going after the snitch, it's just at her fingertips. Come on. You can win." Sirius said, before getting told off again by Professor McGonagal.

Loralei tried to ignore the cheers, the commentary, the sound of the Ravenclaw players cursing as James scored ten more points. She focused on the little gold ball that was just out of her reach, leading her up, slowly until she was sure she was hundreds of feet from the ground.

She paced her breathing, the air wasn't getting thin yet, but she had to being close to it, when the snitch evened out for a minute before diving.

She followed.

This was a little more dangerous, because she was going faster since gravity was on her side, or against her depending on how you looked at it.

There were gasps as she caught the snitch, but she roughly pulled her broom up in such a way that made her loose her balance and fall off. The golden snitch still clutched in her fingers.

Loralei didn't wake up until the next evening, with a killer headache and her whole body hurting, and covered in bruises.

Sirius was asleep in the chair next to the bed she was in, his head leaned onto bed using his arms for a pillow.

Loralei groaned as she tried to move her stiff, sore muscles. "Siri?"

He woke up, sitting up. "Hey," he smiled. "How do you feel?"

"Like I've been hit by the Knight Bus." She groaned. "I haven't been hit by it, but I have a feeling this is what it feels like." She looked down at her arms, she wasn't wearing a shirt, but there was gause bandages wrapped around her from hip to armpit, but what she could see from her skin, it was all black and blue. "What happened?"

"Good or bad news?" He asked.

"Good then bad." She told him. "I have a feeling the good news is shorter."

He smiled. "You won the match, but you fell off your broom. Shattered the bones in your hands and arms, you broke seven ribs, a concussion, and some internal bleeding." He told her. "Most of your body is covered in bruises."

She frowned. "I can't lift up my arms."

"You won't be able to for a while. Good news, you're off class tomorrow." He told her, trying to cheer her up. "Slughorn is making a potion to help you heal faster, but it won't be ready until tonight. Your parents are getting dinner, they should be here soon, James, Remus and Evans are with them. Melanie stops in once an hour to see if you've woken up.

"Lily's with James?"

"They're all worried, it's binding them together." He told them.

"Why aren't you with them?" She asked.

"Someone should be here in case you woke up."

"How long have I been out?" She asked, before taking a deep breath and cringing.

"It's Sunday night." He told her.

"Shit." She whispered. "This can't be happening."

"It did. You scared me, Loralei." He told her, scared to touch her, fearing his touch would hurt her since her skin was so tender.

"I'm fine," she whispered, "Or I will be."

"Still, you could've died if you hadn't pulled up your broom at that second." He told her. "You were ten feet off the ground, and still had some of the momentum of the dive, if you hadn't had your arms in front of you your brain would be on the pitch."

"But I did, and I'll be fine." She told him. "How was the victory party?"

"There wasn't one." He told her. "The whole team was here, and all of our year, and the firsties, and anyone who you've ever met, they brought you candy and flowers." He pointed at the bedside table which was overcome with boxes of candy and flowers in vases were everywhere, on the floor, and the other table for the bed to the right of her.

"Cool," she breathed. "I'm loved."

"You know you are." He said. "That's why everyone was freaking out when you were crumpled on the pitch, you looked like you were dead, you were knocked out on impact, Lore."

"Hey," she said, trying to comfort him. "I'm okay, I'll be fine in a week, you'll see."

"I didn't know that, everyone but James wasn't allowed to see you until your bones were healed and you were wrapped up. It took two hours." He told her. "Everyone was freaking out."

Her lower lip stuck out a bit in a pout. "I couldn't change it, it just happened."

"You're getting cocky, Lore." He told her gently. "You're not invincible."

"I know that-"

"No, you don't." He disagreed, hoping to get her to admit it. "If you fell just a little different your neck would've snapped and you-you'd be dead."

She held her breath, as she lifted her arm, and put it on his cheek. "But I'm okay. Isn't that what matters?" Her muscle gave out, and she hissed when it fell back on the bed.

"You're not okay. I'm not asking you to quit the team, I'm just asking you to take it easier." He said, desperately. "Don't take as many risks. You're good on a broom, that doesn't mean you won't make a mistake and plummet when no ones around to help you."

She didn't respond, she even averted her eyes. "Who knows if I'm still able to fly a broom. James might have to replace-"

"No, you just have bruises now, they're deep bruises, but when Slughorn brings the potion you'll feel a lot better."

"I sure hope so." Loralei muttered. "I feel like hell."

"It'll be here soon," he promised. "He's not going to let his one of his favorite students suffer long."

As if on cue, Professor came in, walking faster than she had ever seen him before.

"Oh, Loralei Potter, you'll feel better after this." He told her, unstopping the vial, and holding it out for her to take.

Sirius took it instead. "It hurts her to move." He told him, standing up, and pouring it into Loralei's mouth.

She instantly felt better before slipping back into sleep.


	10. Chapter 10

She woke up not too long later, just a few hours, and there were six people around her. Her parents, Lily, James, Remus, and of course, Sirius.

She looked down at her arms, they weren't the blue-black they were before from the bruises, they had faded to a gross green-blue-yellow color. She frowned.

"How do you feel?" Her mother asked.

"A little numb." She told her, looking at her left hand and she wiggled her fingers. "How long have you been here?"

"Since we heard about the accident." Mr. Potter told her. "We got here a few hours after the match."

"You scared me." Mrs. Potter said passionately. "What happened?"

"I took a dive," the rest that came out was grumbled before she went. "La la la, sorry, my tongue isn't working yet."

"It's alright," Her mother told her.

"She pulled up on her broom too roughly." James told her. "I saw it, you lost balance and fell."

"Pretty much." Loralei agreed. "That's the gist. I just panicked, and I should've put my other hand on the broomstick to pull it up."

"You need to be more careful." Mr. Potter told her. "That was a close call."

"I know, Sirius already told me." Loralei told him. "I really don't want to be reprimanded right now."

"Okay, I'll save that for later." Mrs. Potter sighed.

"At least you won." Mr. Potter told her.

Everyone turned towards him, confusion on their faces.

"They did, it's better than being injured with no good news." He told them.

Everyone underage laughed while Mrs. Potter smacked her husband's arm lightly.

"Yes, how nice that would be, being bed ridden for a few days with no win." Loralei lifted her arm, and took a bar of chocolate she got from the nightstand, and struggled with the wrapper and her weak fingers until her father took it from her and opened it, breaking off a piece and handing it to her.

"Here," he said as he took it.

"Thanks," she said, feeling weak. "At least I can pick up my arms now."

"You couldn't before?" Her mother asked.

"Did I forget to mention that?" Sirius asked, guiltily.

Lily frowned at Sirius. "You think?"

Loralei turned to her mother. "Have Lily and James been fighting?"

"No, they're actually civil, it's not at all like last Christmas break when she came for a day." Her mother told her. "I'm very surprised."

"We've been worried!" Lily said.

"Mutual love brings people together." Loralei smiled.

"What?" Lily asked.

"You both love me." Loralei told her. "That's what I said."

"I'm going to get Madam Pomfrey." Remus told them, getting up from his chair and behind the privacy screens they set up.

"I get out of class, did you hear?" Loralei asked Lily.

"Yeah, but you're missing your favorite class." Lily told her.

"One class out of the year." Loralei brushed off. "It won't be a big deal, there's no test tomorrow."

"True." Lily agreed. "When are they releasing you?"

Loralei turned her head to her left to look at her parents. "When?"

"I'm hopefully going to find out now." Madame Pomfrey said, she was young, with light brown hair, and sharp features, she was probably around thirty years old, maybe a little older.

Madame Pomfrey looked her over, and ended up pressing on her ribs and stomach lightly. "You seem fine, I would like you to keep the bandages on for another day, take your potion-it's in your bag take two a day,-and put this salve-" she pulled a tube of ointment out of her apron, and put it in the tote bag that was next to her father's chair. "-On your skin, but other than that you can go to your dorm room." She paused. "Do you need help getting back?"

"No, my parents and friends can help me." Loralei replied.

"Okay, your bones are completely healed, but you will have some soreness for about a week." She told Loralei. "Come here after classes on Tuesday so I can check you out again, okay?"

"Okay," Loralei repeated.

"You can go now, if you have any concerns just come back any time." With that, the healer left.

Loralei threw back the blanket and carefully put her legs over the side of the sick bed, her father getting up from his chair to help her, taking her hand.

"Who put these pants on me?" She asked, looking down. "These aren't mine."

"They're mine." Lily told her. "I couldn't find your pajamas."

"Of course, there's food on them." Loralei smiled.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Yes, I thought you'd rather have strawberries than cupcakes."

Loralei nodded, ignoring the stiffness in her neck. "You're right. I love strawberries"

Lily smiled. "Everyone knows."

Loralei smiled, and pushed herself off the bed, stumbling until her parents held her up.

"James, can you carry her?" Mrs. Potter asked.

"Sure," James said, coming over, and scooping her up. "You're heavy."

"Shut up, I'm stronger than you." She replied.

"Just saying," James said.

"Stop saying."

He laughed. "Who's gonna bring her candy and flowers?"

Together, the parade of seven people went to the Gryffindor common room, and all the conversations that were going on were cut off. This Minister of Magic was in their common room, taking their daughter to her room.

A small light blonde first year went up to Loralei. "How are you?" She asked. "I saw the fall."

"I'm fine, just a little weak." She smiled at the girl. "Thank you, Lizzie, I'll see you later."

The girl smiled, and went back to her friends.

"How am I going to get you up the stairs?" James asked, looking at his sister.

Mr. Potter laughed, and whispered in his son's ear something Loralei couldn't hear.

James grinned. "Good idea." He started taking her up the boys staircase, the other's following.

"What are you going to do?" Sirius asked.

"Fly her to her room." James said, as Loralei opened the door, he walked through and put her on his bed before getting his broom out from under it.

"Apparently Dad found out a loophole in his seventh year."

"Don't tell the story, Dad." Loralei told him.

He laughed. "I don't plan on telling it."

"Good." Loralei said, as her brother appeared with his Nimbus 1500, smiling.

"Are you ready to get back on the broom?" He asked.

"One fall, you broke your arm last summer." She told him. "I only fell once, you fall at least once a month."

"Not as bad as you." He replied.

She frowned. "Shut up."

He laughed, and opened the window, it was large enough for them both to get out of it easily, and he flew her to her bed, where Lily and Mrs. Potter were waiting to catch her. Once they got her safely in bed, they told her to take another potion, so she could heal. She happily slipped back into sleep.

"Your dad and I had a very awkward talk while you were sleeping." Sirius groan to Loralei the next day after classes. "It was terrible."

Loralei laughed. "What about?" She asked innocently.

"You, we had the awkward, 'hurt my daughter and you're dead' talk." He told her. "I've never had that talk with a girl's dad."

"I'm happy to be your first." She teased, leaning into him. He was sitting next to her on her bed, well half under her since the bed was so small.

"Yeah, at least he was pretty cool about it." Sirius smiled. "Didn't threaten me or anything, just told me not to mess with you."

"I wonder what would happen if I messed with you." Loralei mused.

"They already know you won't." Sirius told her. "It's not your type."

"Really, and how do you know that?" She replied.

"You're too empathetic for your own good." He told her. "You wouldn't hurt someone unless they hurt you, and even then it would have to be pretty bad."

Loralei frowned. "You make me sound like a push over."

"You're not that either."

Loralei rolled her eyes. "Anyway, Alice and Lily are taking it upon themselves to get my homework done for me, I have to say that it's nice not having to do anything but the reading."

"Is that what you were reading?" He asked, pointing at her book.

"Nope, free reading, muggle, Lily turned me on to it." Loralei told him, picking it up.

"Pride and Prejudice." He said. "Really?"

"It's sweet, I love, love and hate stories." She told him. "Every girl is lying if they say they aren't in love with Mr. Darcy."

"Oh, now I'm jealous." He teased.

She laughed. "He's a fictional character, unless he pops out of the book, you have nothing to worry about."

"Really? And when will you choose me over him? Our fiftieth anniversary?"

"Of course not, the fifth will do." She replied.

"So when we're twenty you'll choose me over him?" He asked.

She nodded. "Pretty much."

"So I'll give you, like a diamond necklace and you will just say, 'I choose you over Mr. Darcy,' and I'll be the one saying thank you? Not fair." He shook his head.

She laughed. "I can picture that, except I'm probably going to be a little nicer and make you dinner or something."

"We'll have house elves." He replied.

"Really? Because I'm planning on getting a small house somewhere in the country." She told him. "I won't need house elves."

"You think that now, but just wait, you're going to get at least one." He told her.

She rolled her eyes. "I'm not going to be a rich kid that everything comes easy to, I want some normal struggle, I don't want to count on my inheritance."

"There is a war going on." He told her. "Jobs are getting scarce."

"I know, I'm just saying I'm not going to sit around like a bum because I have the choice to." She told him. "I want to do something."

"I thought you were going to fight."  
"I am, I will be, but you have to pick your battles, I'm not suicidal." She told him. "Anyway, onto easier things, how was class today?"

"Boring without you, Divination's more fun when you try to explain things to me." He told her.

"Of course it is, I'm always the one who answers the questions anyway." She smiled, playing with his fingers. "You all must have been lost."

"You have no idea, Melanie actually had a few answers, but I have a feeling that she got them from you."

"She did, when we were studying last week." Loralei told him. "I helped her with her Dream Diary and such."

"I have to say that the Dream Diaries are better than crystal ball, I cannot see a thing in that."

"It's not something you can learn." She told him. "You have to be born with it."

"And you are?"

"It comes with being a veela." She told him offhandedly. "It's hard not to have it."

"Have you tried?" He asked.

"Yeah, once." She told him. "It took me a week to realize that I couldn't not have it. I love it too much anyway. It's great."

Of course it is." He told her. "Otherwise I would be failing it right now."

"Not yet, when you get to your OWL you won't be able to get a high enough grade though. Not many people do, after this year she only has about five people in each class. I hope I get private lessons."

"You're going to get an O, of course, everyone else averages on P, so the odds are in your favor."

"Probably," she agreed. "Even people who get in usually drop it for a different class anyway. I'm hoping to get Defense Against the Dark Arts, Potions, Charms, Transfiguration, Divination, Astronomy, and Care of Magical Creatures."

"Over achiever, you want to be a teacher, why do you need the other classes?"

"If it doesn't work out I could still be a Healer or Auror." She told him. "Or I could be a professional seer, I hear that if you're legitimate they're payed a decent amount." She paused. "You're lucky, you know what you want to do."

"Yeah, and even if I don't get in I can be a bounty hunter." He teased.

"Oh, you'll get in," she told him. "You get great grades in everything you need for it."

"You outdo me in Potions." He told her. "How?"

"If you know the theory it gets easier," she told him. "I know how to use the ingredients, and why they're used so when I make a mistake I can fix it with a few extra steps."

"And where did you learn that?" He asked.

"When Severus and I were friends, he showed me and Lily a few books, I got my mother to send me them and I got in the top three, Sev, Lily, and I have been battling for first spot ever since."

"So Sniv-Snape isn't as stupid?" Sirius has learned not to call Severus "Snivillus" ever since he got the cold shoulder from doing it the month before.

"He's very smart, very awkward too." She said. "It was adorable until he became an ass. Being awkward and a jerk doesn't work, it just makes people hate you."

"So you do hate him?" Sirius asked, maybe a little too happily.

"No, but I don't agree with him. We're never going to be friends again." Loralei told him.

Sirius smiled, happy she couldn't see how happy he was at her statement. He was always a little jealous of him during their first three years, though he would never admit it. She would always go to Severus Snape if she needed help with her homework or anything. He didn't exactly know back then he was jealous, but he does now. He wanted to be the one she went to if she needed help, and he still wasn't that guy. She goes to Lily or James if she needs help with Transfiguration, or Lily or Remus if she hurt herself in some way and didn't want to go to the Hospital Wing. Not that she didn't ask him to help her with anything, she did, but nothing that actually mattered. She sprained her ankle a week before and he didn't hear about it until Remus asked him if her ankle was better after he fixed it. He didn't like that.

He wouldn't mention it though. It wasn't the kind of thing he would ask her to do, he wanted her to go to him because she wanted to, not because he asked her to.

"Your birthday's coming up." She said, bringing him out of his reverie.

"So?"

"What do you want to do?" She asked.

"I don't care." He told her. "We can just hang out."

"But it's your sixteenth, the last year you're underage, it's the last bit of your childhood." She said. "We have to do something. The boys agree."

"We can just hang out in the common room." He told her. "It's not a Hogsmeade weekend so it's not like we can do much else."

"We can sneak out." She told him. "We've done it before."

"Naw, I'd rather keep it simple."

She pouted. "Okay, as you wish."

Sirius did this every year, playing down his birthday, since his parents never made it a big deal when he was younger.

"It's not a big deal." He muttered, kissing the side of her head.

"It is to me," she told him. "Every year is different."

"That's what you say every year when it's my birthday."

"Because you're the only one that I have to force to celebrate it."

"When it was your birthday, you didn't do anything special." He told her.

"Yeah I did, I had a birthday cake, and stuff." She replied. "Mum and Dad took us all to Italy for dinner."

He rolled his eyes. "That's not much."

"It is to me," she told him. "I like simple things."

"So if I said I wanted to go to Italy for dinner, what would you do?"

"Make it happen, but I know you don't want to." She replied.

"True, so something small if anything okay?" He asked.

"Okay," she smiled. "Something small."

**A/N Thank you, Firefly1939 and ForeverTeamEdward13 for reviewing most of these ten chapters! Your reviews always put a smile on my face, and thank you to the people who put this story under favorites or alert!**

**Kat**


	11. Chapter 11

Soon Sirius' birthday was upon them, and Loralei did as he said, something small, but she still made sure she got a cake from the kitchens, (his favorite was chocolate). She had the perfect photo album, that was red and gold with pictures from first year to just the night before when she got one of the first years to take a picture of them studying together. She hoped that he would like it.

It was just James, Peter, Remus, Loralei and Sirius in the Come and Go Room that they made look like the Gryffindor common room, since it wouldn't be empty enough for them to have it, they were on the floor, the arm chairs and couch pushed away from the soft rug, empty cake plates were discarded on a table that was next to the couch, as they made Sirius open the presents that they got him. Loralei asked for hers to be last.

James got him some different prank things from Zonko's, Peter a book of jinxes, and Remus a book that they wouldn't let Loralei see, at first she thought it was porn, but when she asked they denied it in such a way that she had to believe. They probably would have told her if it was anyway.

She handed him the box, and watched his face as he opened it.

"What is it?" He asked, as he took it out.

"Open it," she told him, biting her thumbnail.

"This is from first year," he said, looking at the first page.

Loralei nodded, not looking at the book, but knowing where he was. "At Christmas."

"You had those bangs!" He said, laughing. "I like you better without them."

"I'm happy I got rid of them." Loralei smiled. "My hair's much easier to pull back."

"Prongs, your hair was combed down." He smiled. "Moony, you're so short!" Sirius looked up at Loralei. "Where'd you get this?"

"I got the pictures, and an album." She told him. "Mum had most of these, but all the ones here are from Remus or those rare occurrences when I brought my camera."

"How'd you come up with this?" He asked.

"It popped into my head one night." She told him honestly. "Finding pictures were a little harder though. But I figure it's your first through forth, and some of fifth year. Something to remember for when you're old and frail." She teased.

"Old? Maybe. Frail? Definitely not." He told her.

"Don't worry, old man, I'll take care of you." She teased. "Being young and all."

"Oh, yes, little girl, respect your elders!" He replied.

She smiled. "Do you know me at all? I tease everyone. Young or old."

"Stop your flirting." James groaned. "It's so annoying, you're my sister!"

"If you don't like it leave." Loralei told him.

James smiled. "Not a half bad idea." He stood up. "Night, gents." He went towards the door, laughing.

"I think I'll go." Remus muttered, getting up himself. "Come on, Pete."

"I love their way of giving us alone time." Loralei said, laughing when she heard Remus snicker as he closed the door behind them.

Loralei crawled over to Sirius, giving him a peck on the lips. "Happy Birthday."

"Thanks," he smiled, pushing her hair away from her face. "This is great." He told her, looking back at the photo album.

"You needed something special." She told him. "Having a rich boyfriend isn't always the nicest thing."

He laughed. "I'd love whatever you give me."

"But I wanted to get you something that you'd genuinely like, not because I gave it to you." She said, sitting beside him.

"Well I'd love this if my parents gave it to me,-"

"Which they wouldn't." They said together, before laughing.

"I'm glad you like it." She told him.

"How long did it take you to do?" He asked.

"Two months, I think." She told him. "Maybe a little more."

"Thank you," he told her, turning to her and kissing her.

They spent the next few hours going through it, making fun of what they looked like when they were younger, or when James, Remus, or Peter had a bad haircut, all teasing, all fun. There was only one picture of Lily in it, and that was when she forced her and the Marauders to get a picture at the end of last year, when they were all saying their goodbyes for the summer. Sirius' favorite was the one she had taken a few weeks ago when they were in Hogsmeade, not being followed by tabloids unlike their first Hogsmeade weekend and she had pinned him to the grass with her legs, you could only see her knees and one arm as she kept him down long enough to take the picture.

"At least now I know why you went photo crazy whenever we'd do anything." He laughed when they got to the pictures she took recently.

They kept looking through them, talking about how they happened, or why one of them were missing from a picture. They laughed, and talked until they fell asleep in their private Gryffindor common room, on the thick, soft carpet.

Lily wasn't surprised when Loralei drug herself into their dormitory the next morning. Tired and her hair in a messy ponytail, her makeup was faded and a little smudged. She collapsed on her bed with a groan.

"Have a good night?" Lily asked conversationally, trying to hide her smile.

"Yeah," she yawned, either not noticing or ignoring the humor on her friend's face. "We had fun, but I'm going to sleep now."

"Why were you out so late?" Lily asked, trying to keep Loralei up for as long as she could.

"We talked about when we were young and innocent." Loralei told her, pulling off her shoes, and pants before snuggling into bed. "Reminiscing, you know."

"Ah, of course." Lily nodded. "So-"

"If you try to keep me awake one more time, a hex is coming your way." Loralei told her.

Lily laughed. "Goodnight, sweetheart."

"Night, Lil." Loralei yawned again, before falling asleep.

Loralei felt like this year was passing her by, she was either studying, at quidditch practice, sleeping, or eating. On rare occurrences she was actually having fun with nothing productive going on. She missed sleeping all day on Saturdays, or doing all her studying on Sundays. She hated that she was getting dark circles under her eyes that makeup barely covered up, she hated that when she was on a Hogemeade weekend she had to meet with a designer for the dress for the Ministry Ball in less than a month. But above all, she hated that when she was with Sirius, they were either never alone, or studying when they were.

Everyone else was run down too. When they would do all their homework or studying early so they could hang out at night, they would just end up falling asleep, Lily suggested that they get time turners and maybe get more than five hours sleep every night.

The good news in all of this was that Lily and James didn't argue as much when Loralei forced them to be within ten feet of each other. Not only did they act civil, but they were also too tired to argue. A sliver lining in their busy OWL year.

Loralei was counting the days down to Christmas break. Making plans to visit Lily on boxing day, and having no doubt on finding Sirius in their house on Christmas, if not the whole holiday.

When she was going through the sketches that the designer for her dress had sent her, Lily came up and sat next to her on her bed.

"Whatcha doing?" She asked, before looking at the drawing. "Pretty, id that your dress?"

"Yep, I think it looks like Little Red Riding Hood." Loralei told her. "I like it though. There's black fur in the hood of the cloak," she said, tracing it with her finger. "Then underneath the cloak there's a black corset and skirt, with red flowers stitched at the base and on the bodice."

"It looks like a fairytale." Lily told her. "You're going to look great."

"I hope so." Loralei said, putting the sketch down. "Gustav took my measurements last week, he wants to make sure that it shows off my curves, he told me to prepare not to breathe."

"What kind of corset is it?" Lily asked.

"Ties, he's going to lace me up as tight as he can when I get dressed. The final fitting is the day I get home, then the hair and makeup artists come for my mother and I. It's going to take all day for us to get ready, since we're at their disposal from ten until we have to leave for it."

"You're sounding like you're not going to have any fun." Lily said.

"You it's hard to explain, but it's just really polite, and stuffy old-timey stuff." Loralei told her. "Usually Sirius has to go since his dad works high up at the ministry, so it's kind of fun, but now since we're dating...it's not all going to seem so innocent." She sighed. "If you find a sick person, tell them to sneeze of cough on me."

"You're really not looking forward to this." Lily observed. "Think about it this way, you get to complain about it on boxing day to me."

Loralei laughed. "Yeah, I guess I can. I'll bring a picture of the dress too. And who knows, I might be able to get out before eleven."

"See? You're thinking on the bright side, plus you get a gorgeous new dress and cloak." Lily told her. "Much better than this Herbology essay due tomorrow." She said, pointing at the finished essay sitting on Loralei's bag.

Loralei smiled. "Anything was better than that, it was so dull."

"Just think of that essay when you're there." Lily told her. "It'll all feel better."

"God I hope so." Loralei groaned. "I'm making it out to be worse than it is, anyway." She shook her head. "I just want to catch up on my sleep!"

Lily laughed. "We all do, that's what I'm going to be doing all break."

Loralei smiled. "Me too, they're not getting me up before ten for those three weeks."

"Me too, I'll lock my door." Lily agreed.

"Wear earplugs."

"Ignore them."

"Kill them if they wake you up."

"Torture them first."

"Slowly."

"Sounds good."

**A/N This is just a warning, but I'm not going to update as often as I have been, school's kinda taking over right now. I'm going to at least update once a week, maybe more depending on the week and what my mind comes up with to write. I have a brief outline for this story, but nothing especially big will happen until they take their OWL's.**

**Please review!**

**Kat**


	12. Chapter 12

"Why are you packing? The train doesn't leave until Saturday." Lily said, as Loralei packed her bag.

"I'm leaving after the last classes tomorrow." Loralei told her, as she packed her things. "By floo powder, my mum wants us to have a final fitting and such before Christmas Eve and how we're going to react about me and Sirius, who's coming with us. He's getting robes made too, he wants to look good apparently." Loralei smiled.

"Of course he does, they'll be taking pictures of you all night." Lily rolled her eyes. "Send me a picture from the fitting."

"I will." She promised. "I'm happy I don't have any more homework to do tonight."

"Because you did it all last night." Lily said. "You were awake until one in the morning."

"Well worth it, I got to take a nap during my free period." Loralei smiled, pushing everything she could need in her bag.

"What did you get Sirius?" Lily asked her.

"I got him these mirrors that you can use to communicate with someone. I'm pretty sure he's going to give the other to James." Loralei told her. "What did you get me?"

"Not telling." Lily laughed.

Loralei rolled her eyes. "I hope we get a blizzard so James doesn't try to make me train over break."

"Just shoot him one of your death looks." Lily told her. "He'll get the message."

"He better, or I'll slap him."

"You're so physical." Lily shook her head.

"I'm a physical girl!" Loralei paused. "That came out wrong."

"It always does with you. 'Cause you're a physical girl." Lily teased.

Loralei laughed. "You know it, babe."

Lily pouted.

"What?" Loralei asked, as she folded a pair of jeans.

"You're leaving me early." She said. "I we wont be able to share a bottle of butterbeer and toast to the midterms."

"I'm sorry." Loralei told her. "Mother's orders. We can share a bottle of butterbeer tonight though." Loralei went under her bed, and tossed one of the glass bottles onto Lily's bed.

Lily laughed as she pulled out the cork. "At least there's tonight." She raised her glass to Loralei before taking a sip.

Loralei held out her hand for it, and Lily gave it to her so she could get a sip.

"We're getting old." Loralei sighed as she put her hand on her back and leaned back, making her back pop.

"I could hear that from over here." Lily laughed, taking the bottle from Loralei. "You should get that checked out."

Loralei laughed. "I'm perfectly healthy, thank you very much."

Lily smiled, handing her the bottle. "Until you get on that quidditch pitch."

Lily rubbed her eyes, and looked at the clock on the wall of the Gryffindor Common room. Loralei had left four hours ago and she had been reading since, even at dinner that night. She got out of the armchair and made her way to her dorm room, to find half a bottle of butterbeer and a note from Loralei.

_Did you really think I'd forget our tradition?_

_Love,_

_The Crazy Loralei_

Lily laughed, before pulling the cork out and taking a sip, smiling the whole time.

"You're ridiculous." She said aloud, like Loralei could actually hear her.

"Suck in," Gustav told her, for his name you'd think he was a large man, but he was in fact small in stature and spoke in a Scottish accent.

"I am!" Loralei said, leaning on her vanity. "I can barely breathe."

He tied it off with little difficulty, before she stood up straight, her breath showing as her chest rose and fell. Gustav put her cloak on her shoulders, the silver clasp at the hollow of her throat and put the hood on her head.

She looked into the mirror, and gasped.

If someone thought she was beautiful before, it was nothing now. The skirt didn't poof out at the end of her corset, just hung around her in a black curtain. The red flowers on the dress matched the hood perfectly, though she didn't have any makeup on that she didn't usually, she could tell what kind of makeup she would get. Her long hair was in front of her shoulder, coming out of the hood, and she didn't look like a little girl anymore, like all the dresses before did. She was a woman.

"Merlin." She muttered, taking a spin in the dress. "This is beautiful."

"Worth the sucking in?"

"Definitely." She handed him a camera. "Picture please." She posed, smiling with a hand on her hip, as he snapped a picture.

There was a knock on the door. "Lore?" It was Sirius.

"Come in," she called.

"I'm going to go do your mother's fitting." Gustav told her, leaving the room as Sirius entered.

His dark blue eyes widened. "Wow, Lore."

She smiled, and did a little spin, her skirt flying around her. "How do I look?"

"Gorgeous." He told her. "Absolutely stunning." He put one of his hands on her waist, which was hard form her corset. "You're not wearing pink or blue this year."

"Thank Merlin, I wouldn't be able to handle it again." She told him, as he pulled her closer to him for a kiss.

"I like you better in black and red too." He told her after they broke apart.

She laughed. "I'm happy to see someone agree with me. I helped design it, the flowers are me." She said, tracing a vine on the bodice. "I didn't want to look like I had just come from a funeral."

"I'm sure you would look good even if you did." He told her.

She smiled. "I love you."

He smiled too. "I love you." He leaned down to kiss her lightly. "I knew you did, it's taken you long enough."

She laughed, and mock-hit his arm. "Come on, at least you know I'm not saying it."

"You don't say anything you don't mean." He said.

"Unless I'm being sarcastic."

"Unless you're being sarcastic."


	13. Chapter 13

It was like a fairytale. All the women and girls were in dresses that flattered whatever figure they had, all the men in dress robes, the most popular colors being blue, purple, and green, though the women had every color one could think of, making a colorful ocean of people mingling.

You could tell who the press were, they were dressed in brown, it seemed like a tradition with them.

Loralei and Sirius were the last through the doors, entering somewhat unnoticed, though they were tethered to each other by their hands. Loralei could hear her heartbeat in her ears, she had never been so nervous to be here, especially since this would be the first time she would see Sirius' family since they became a couple.

Loralei was always beautiful, but she looked radiant tonight. Her light strawberry blonde hair was curled and in a knot on the crown of her head, with some of her shorter hair in the front framing her face, little crystals in her hair reflected rainbows in the light. Her makeup was minimal on the eyeshadow, but she had a thin black line of black above her lashes, and on her lower lashes, as well as her lashes being thicker and longer than they usually were, her eyebrows were darkened, her lips a rich bright red, matching the cloak she had left with the valet and the flowers on her dress, and her face seemed to be glowing in the soft white light from the glowing orbs that illuminated the ballroom.

Loralei's eyes searched the people around her for familiar faces, she recognized a few, but she didn't know them well, so she would not be forced into conversation with them, nor would they probably come up to her. She let out a sigh of relief for that.

"I don't see anyone, do you?" Sirius whispered into her ear.

Loralei shook her head. "No."

"Well then," he said, pulling her towards the dance floor and spinning her around, before putting one of his hands are on her waist as he bumped their chests together. "Would you like to dance?"

"You didn't give me a choice." She smiled. "So, when do you think the Prophet will get to us?"

"We may have another ten minutes." He told her. "How do you want to play it?"

"Happy and obliging, but not give too many details, just that we're happy and still together."

"That's boring, where's the scandal in that?" He asked.

She laughed. "I'd like to not have a scandal if you'd be so kind."

They danced, looking into the other's eyes, and smiling. Talking when one of them had something to say, but it wasn't awkward if they didn't say anything. Though the classes they had together they had learned to communicate with their eyes easily. Putting everything that they wanted to say in one look.

They did what they were supposed to do, smile and dance, laugh when appropriate, and even some times when it wasn't appropriate. They weren't approached by the Prophet until they were getting drinks that weren't supposed to be alcoholic, but they knew it was spiked with firewhiskey at some point of the evening before they got there.

"So how is the happy couple doing?" Asked a male reporter, different from the one that crashed their date, this one was tall and blonde, with a northern accent.

"We're doing fine, thank you Carlisle." Loralei smiled, genuinely pleased to see him. "How are you doing? I hear your last article got you in trouble."

"I'm fine, you know. Not everyone likes when you defy he-who-must-not-be-named, apparently they think for publishing it we're all gonna get killed!"

Loralei and Carlisle laughed, while Sirius looked confused.

"No one would want that." Loralei said.

"No, but I would like a comment."

Loralei laughed. "Sirius and I are still going very strong and are very much in love. I hope every girl finds a sweetheart like him." She told the reporter, but she was looking at Sirius. "No none of these rings are engagement rings, but he did give me this necklace for my birthday." She paused. "Is that enough?"

"More than. That with the dancing and laughing you guys are good until spring." He told her, writing down every word Loralei had said. "Every time someone else asks you tell them to piss off."

"You only write good things about me, Carlisle." Loralei replied. "If you were looking for a scandal I would tell you to piss off."

Carlisle laughed. "Never with you sweetheart." They kissed each other once on each cheek and he went on his way with a, "Happy Christmas!"

"You were friendly." Sirius said, nudging her with his elbow.

"He's a good reporter, does it for more than sell papers." Loralei replied. "He cares about the people who's lives he's paid to follow, he will only make someone look bad if they wronged someone." Loralei thought for a second. "He was writing an article about me after Fab and I broke up, and he took me out for ice cream to do it. I knew him before that. Even Dad likes him. He's the one that wrote the article about us after we got followed by that one creepster."

Sirius nodded. "So when we get engaged he's the one we call?"

She laughed, and mock-hit his stomach. "I haven't said yes."

"You will."

"Confidence isn't always attractive, you know." She said, taking a drink from her glass.

"I disagree." He told her. "Confidence is everything about being attractive. If I had Moony's confidence I wouldn't be dating you."

She looked away from him, taking a long sip from her drink.

He looked at her. "You didn't."

"It was first and second year, he's adorable and smart, sweet too, oh, and he has binges on chocolate and lets you join-"

"Maybe you should be dating him then." Sirius said, mostly joking.

"But I only have eyes for you." She said, sappily, looking up at him and fluttering her eyelashes.

He kissed her, and pulled away for a second before giving her another short kiss. "That's what I like to hear."

She laughed and shook her head. "You're impossible."

"And you're beautiful." He replied.

She rolled her eyes. "Be happy my lipstick doesn't smudge."

His hand went to his mouth, as if just thinking of it. "Promise?"

"Yep," she told him. "I wouldn't lie about that. I don't want my boyfriend wearing lipstick any more than I do."

He laughed. "So halloween before last wasn't good?"

"Actually it was wonderful, mostly when you were wearing my hot pink lipstick with a matching skirt." She replied.

"It was a dare!"

"I have pictures."

"Don't show them to anyone."

"Only your children."

"No! Then I won't be the cool dad!"

"You're right, you'll be the cross dressing dad."

"Burn them."

"No! Their my fondest memories. You didn't see them in your photo album?" She asked.

"I thought those were the only copies!"

"You underestimate my powers." She said, trying not to laugh at the teasing conversation.

"I promise I won't anymore if you burn them."

"Never!"

"It's so boring." James groaned. "Now stop being so couple-like and come up with a plan to make this a little less boring."

"We could steal one of the instruments and pretend we know how to play them." Loralei told them.

"Naw, we'd get caught to easily." Sirius disagreed.

"Should we go for a walk outside? We can say it got a little stuffy in here." Loralei said, looking around. "Mum and Dad won't care."

"But my parents will be so disappointed." Sirius teased.

Loralei grabbed her brother's arm. "Get me out of here before I am seen."

"That makes me feel good." Sirius told her sarcastically.

"You know I love you...but your parents are crazy." She told him. "You should know this more than anyone."

"I do, but still, what's my mother going to think?"

"That you're dating a beautiful, pureblood girl." She replied sweetly. "They don't care much about anything else."

"That's true." He agreed. "Let's go."

Loralei nodded. "You go get the coats, I'll tell Mum and Dad." She went to go find her mother and father to tell them, before going to the front hall to meet the boys.

Sirius handed her her the velvet cloak, and draped it over her shoulders, and closed the clasp in the front.

She turned to one of the valets. "Where's the back exit?"

"Let me show you," he said holding out his hand for her to take.

She took it, as well as grabbing Sirius' as Sirius grabbed James', pulling them along a long doorless corridor, until they reached a door at the end of it.

"Here you go, Miss." He told her.

"Thank you," she kissed his cheek. "Can you wedge the door open so we can come in without being locked out?"

His cheeks were a little pink. "Yes, of course."

"Thank you, love." She smiled, before going out the door, the boys following her. When they made it a few feet from the door, James spoke.

"Do you use your sex to get everything?" Her brother asked her, a little annoyed.

"Don't you?" Loralei replied. "I learned it all from you."

"Am I the only one wondering why you did that in front of your boyfriend?" Sirius asked curiously.

"Yes," James and Loralei said together.

"Thought so." Sirius nodded.

"Come on," she told the boys. "Let's have some fun." She picked up her skirt, and took off running, as fast as she could in heels, the boys looked at each other before following, catching up to her easily.

"Where are you going?" James asked.

"Who cares?" Loralei replied. "I got some gallons strapped to my-"

"I don't want to know!" James told her.

She laughed. "Thigh, James! Thigh!" She stopped running, and slowed to a walk. "Sorry guys, but heels are killer." She paused. "Should we go get coffee? There has to be a coffee shop around here."

"Of course there does, because our coffee addict needs some." Sirius said, taking her hand.

"Exactly."


	14. Chapter 14

"Loralei how nice to see you again." Said Walgura Black, a stocky woman who was even shorter than Loralei and had a cruel smile on her lips. Her hair was short and graying. Loralei didn't show her that she intimidated her.

"Of course, how are you Walgura?" Loralei replied, smiling her sickly sweet smile.

"Very good." She said, looking over Loralei. "When I was your age I was already engaged."

"How unfortunate." Loralei replied. "I could not imagine being bound by a ring at fifteen. I like having my share of fun while I am young, who knows how long it will last."

"Last indeed." She said, checking Loralei's fingers for rings.

Loralei hated having to speak like she gave a damn. "Well, I don't plan on getting married any time soon, youth is for the young, marriage is for the old."

"I believe your parents got married when they were in their twenties." Walgura told her.

"They didn't understand the concept." Loralei replied. "I don't understand why anyone would want to settle down so young."

"You're very opinionated." Walgura decided.

"And proud of it." She said, as Sirius squeezed her hand in warning.

"Lore..." He whispered.

She bit her cheek, stopping herself from going on.

"So what are your grades?" Walgura asked.

"Higher than your son's, if that's what you're asking." Loralei replied.

"And of pure blood...I think this is very good that you two are finally together." Walgura told her with a cruel smile on her lips.

"Yeah, but who knows, we're young, it could last from a week longer to a few years." Loralei brushed it off, actually trying to piss her off now, even though Sirius was still squeezing her hand in warning.

"Do you not think-"

"Mother, we're just going to go over here." Sirius interrupted her.

"Why?" Walgura asked. "We're having a nice conversation."

"Yes, but we have other things to do, come on, Lore."

Loralei smiled at the woman. "See you."

"We will have to have tea after you are out of school." She told her.

Loralei nodded, as Sirius drug her away.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you." Loralei told Sirius. "I cannot stand that woman."

"No one can." Sirius told her. "Why do you think I spend most of my summers at your place?"

Loralei laughed. "We'll have to keep it that way, I don't want to see her more than I have to."

"Neither do I, so this works well." He told her, trying to get this conversation to be teasing.

"If we ever get married, we're eloping." She told him. "Just saying."

"I can live with that." He told her.

"I mean, going to the ministry and getting married with my parents James, Remus and Lily." She told him. "Five people there."

"Why not Peter?" He asked.

"Fine, he can come too."

"Why don't you like him?"

"When you wake up to someone groping your tit you'll get it." She told him. "I was twelve!"

"Did James and I not hit him for it?"

"It was creepy, and I'll never forgive anyone who does that to a sleeping kid!" Loralei told him. "I just don't like him, okay? Nothing can change my mind."

Sirius rolled his eyes. "Fine, whatever you say."

Loralei smiled. "I'm happy you agree." She looked around. "It's almost midnight, do you think I can talk my parents to get us out of here?"

"Not yet," he said. "Can we go hang out in your dad's office again, like last year?"

"Sure, I got the password." She looked around. "Where's James?"

Sirius looked around, using his height to look over the heads of everyone until he found James flirting with some girl. "Over there, I think he's a bit busy."

"Just us then." She laughed, going to where the elevators were, and pressing the button to make them come. "Dad doesn't know I found out the password."

"What is it this week?"

"Veela," Loralei told him. "Last week it was, 'chaser' I'm a little disappointed he isn't more inventive."

"Do you want him to go all Dumbledore on you and put, 'acid pops' as the password?" Sirius asked.

"How do you know his password?" Loralei asked, raising her eyebrows.

"I overheard someone using it." He said. "It's probably changed by now, but it's usually a candy."

She laughed, as the elevator doors opened, and they stepped inside. "Veela." She said, loudly before the elevator started moving farther and farther up. "I'll be sure to use that, I'll stand in front of the gargoyle and start saying random candies just to see if I can get in."

"Then you'll get caught and get detention for a month." He reminded her.

"You do it then, I need my grades." She said.

"And I don't?" He asked. "I am going to be an Auror you know."

"We'll see." She replied, smiling. "I can't wait for this year to be over, then all we have is NEWT's in seventh year."

"Yeah, and we all know you love the test days." He said. "Especially when you don't have essay questions."

"They're great." She smiled. "It's no real work, multiple choice is even better, they give you the answer!"

"Yeah, yeah, you're a nerd, I got it." He teased, as the doors opened and they went inside her father's office.

It was large, with a window showing the party that was going on floors below. It was unnaturally clean too, probably getting rid of old things for the new year, like her father did every year.

Loralei went to the couch, and put her feet on the glass coffee table, wanting to give them a rest from being in three inch heels all night. "I like being a nerd thank you very much."

"Oh, I know. You also like being the best quidditch player on the team? How do I know that? Because you practice for at least a half hour a day, even if it's not on the pitch." He told her, sitting beside her. "I saw it out my window last week."

Loralei rolled her eyes. "Don't tease, I just need to pad my resumé for after school, even if I do get the teacher-in-training. I might want to do something else when I'm older."

"Like professional quidditch player?" He asked.

"Exactly," she aggreed. "I think I could be pretty good on the Harpies, you know, that new team? Blue uniforms too, I look great in blue."

Sirius rolled his eyes. "Only you would pick what team you want to play on for their uniforms."

"No, they also have pretty good chaser's for a first year team." She told him. "Don't remember any of their names, but they're decent, not bad at all."

"What about the others?" He asked.

"The beater's are not going to last longer than next season, the seeker is okay, but the same as the beaters." She told him. "I'm surprised you're not following them at all."

"Too busy." He told her. "I was coming up with things to call the Slytherin's at the match in March."

"That's what you're coming up with? It's not even January yet!" She laughed. "You're ridiculous."

"You love it."


	15. Chapter 15

"Get annoyed with your family already?" Loralei asked Sirius. Her parents went on a date night while James was out on his new broom that he got for Christmas, he only came in for meals and sleep, other than that he was hell bent on getting better than his sister at quidditch.

"You have no idea," he told her, visibly relaxing as he entered the Potter's house.

"We'll come on," she said, nodding towards the stairs. "Unless you want to be down here alone. James is gonna be out for at least another two hours, and I'm cleaning out my closet for the new year."

"Really?" He asked. "You do this every year?"

"No, but I need to." She told him. "Don't worry, I won't ask your opinion on anything." She teased.

"Good, I'm dreadful with dresses." He replied, grinning as he followed her up the stairs.

She laughed. "I'll be sure to remember that when you tell me I look great in a dress."

"I'll mean it then." He told her. "I know when you look good."

"Aw, what a charmer you are." She teased, going into her room, where the foot of the bed and desk were full of clothes. "I'm about halfway through."

"How long have you been doing this?" He asked, his eyebrows almost reaching his hairline.

"Hour or two." She told him. "Mum wants to donate some clothes to the orphanage at the fundraiser that she got James and I out of. James didn't have as much as me to go through, he did his in a half hour this morning."

"Well he doesn't horde clothes like you to." He said, picking up a corset that looked an awful lot like the one on the dress she wore on Christmas Eve. "What's this?"

"Gustav took it off the dress for me so I can wear it as a top." She said, holding it against her. "It helps with posture, and I look smashing in it."

"It looks like lingerie." He told her.

She shrugged, putting it back down on the bed. "Watch, in a few years everyone will be wearing corset tops."

"Sure, uh-huh." He said, laying on her bed. "I'll be quiet now."

"Good boy, always knowing his place." She teased, going into her walk-in closet and coming out with several pants, before holding them up to her in the mirror and throwing them in one of two piles, slowly both of the piles got much bigger, then she came out with the dresses, mostly black or a dark color, then to Sirius' surprise, she came out with a hot pink one.

"What is that?" He asked incredulously before laughing.

She looked at it, blushing. "My mother didn't know my fashion sense until last year. This is one of the poor dresses that she brought home one day." She held it out. "I think that I'm not going to condemn the poor orphans and just burn it in the back yard." But she still threw it in the "donate" pile.

"You should." He told her. "That's a crime against everyone's eyes. Why'd you keep it for so long?"

"I didn't want to hurt her feelings." Loralei told him, only being met with a disbelieving gaze. "I was thirteen! I wasn't as outspoken as I am now."

He shrugged. "I'll believe that."

She rolled her eyes, before putting all the clothes that she wanted to keep-the majority of them-back in the closet, while she got the rest-not most, but still quite a few-folded on top of her desk.

"So what did your mother do now?" She asked as she folded them, knowing better than to ask him to help; he was terrible at getting any piece of clothing into any shape but a ball.

"Just being a bitch as usual." He told her. "There's only so many times that being yelled at is fun."

"What about?"  
"Being a Gryffindor, associating with muggleborns, you know, the usual." He told her, as if it was no big deal, which broke her heart a bit to hear.

"Yeah, well as I said, come live here when you finally had enough." She told him. "Open arms and all that."

"Thanks," he said, rolling his eyes.

"I'm so welcoming aren't I?" She grinned, as she kept folding the clothes. "You just want to come and live with me, don't you?"

"More than you know." He told her.

"Yeah, I'm sure your parents would like it too." She laughed. "Are they still asking when I'm going to 'accidentally' get pregnant?"

"Yep," he said. "Little do they know we haven't gone passed second base..."

"Is that a hint that you want to?" She replied, already knowing the answer, but asking it in a way she's not budging just yet.

"I'm a guy." He replied.

She rolled her eyes. "I'm fifteen, I'm not going to sleep with you, I'm still a kid!" She laughed. "Come on, love. Everyone knows I'm not easy."

Sirius rolled his eyes, a ghost of a smile on his face. "In that dress you didn't look like a kid."

Loralei batted her eyelashes. "Looks aren't always what they seem."

He changed the subject. "How was Lily's bitch sister?"

Loralei smiled and closed her eyes, as if she was reliving her favorite memory as she swayed back and forth where she stood. "It was great. Her parents even said that if she was nasty to me that I could use the full force of my tongue." She giggled quietly. "I do love her parents."

"You've told me." He said. "What did she do?"

"Then unimaginative usual, calling someone a witch isn't an insult, neither is freak. Being a freak is better than being normal. Normality is boring. I told her that and told her that when she marries some boring guy, I called it first." Loralei looked at him, her smile turning from dreamlike to mischievous. "She slapped me."

"I don't see any mark." He told her.

She rolled her eyes. "I had Mum take care of it when I got home, but you should see her right now, she has at least a black eye."

"Only a black eye? I thought you were better than that." He shook his head in mock-disappointment.

"So did I." Loralei played along. "I don't know what happened, suddenly all my inner rage just left me."

"When has that ever happened?" He replied.

"No idea, this is a first for me as well." She shrugged, before laughing. "No, really. She's never going to mess with me again."

"What did Evans say?"

"She didn't approve, but was happy the bitch got what was coming to her." Loralei laughed. "Her exact words, by the way."

"So she's through that understanding faze then?" He asked, already knowing the answer.

"Yeah," she nodded. "Finally, I like the slightly more angry, opinionated Lily more anyway." She yawned, and rubbed her eyes with her fingertips. "I'm so tired."

"Then sleep." He told her.

"Must...finish...this." She said dramatically, before going towards the bed and collapsing next to Sirius. "If you get bored, go fold my clothes." She told him.

"I don't think I will..." He laughed.

"Please?" She begged.

"Aren't you going to sleep?" He asked.

"Yeah."

"Then sleep."  
She reached over and hit his chest. Goodnight."

"Abuse!" He cried.

"Shut it, it wasn't even that hard." She giggled, rolling so her arms were resting on his chest, and batted her eyelashes at him.

"Don't do that," he told her. "You always look like you're trying to get something out of someone with that look."

"I am," she told him. "I'm trying to get you to be quiet so I can sleep."

"Fine, I'll be quiet." He told her.

"Good boy." She gave him a peck on the lips, then rolled off him onto her side.

"What you're not even going to sleep near me?"

She rolled back over, eyes still closed, and put her arm around his waist. "Happy?"

"Yep." He put his arm around her. "Go to sleep."

"Sir, yes sir." She muttered. "Love you."

"Love you too."

**A/N Sorry it took me so long to update, I just couldn't think of what to write. I know what I want to happen, but sometimes putting it on paper's a little harder to do, you know? Hope you enjoyed. I'm going to try to put another chapter up soon, but it might just fast forward to them taking their OWL's. **

**Please Review!**

**Kat**


	16. Chapter 16

They were back at Hogwarts now, back to studying, and back to sleeping whenever they had free time. Loralei had gotten so busy that the months flew by, including Quidditch matches, and the one that Sirius was looking forward to: Slytherin vs. Gryffindor. She barely remembered playing it at all, let alone winning. She did remember sleeping afterwards while there was a party going on downstairs, as well as celebrating James' birthday a week later, but other than that she just remembered Lily or Remus quizzing her or she quizzing them, what seemed like every day.

Loralei did look run-down, she had bags under her eyes, and stopped wearing anything to cover them up. Her hair was always in a ponytail or messy bun, and she fell asleep everywhere. It wasn't until a week before OWL's that she calmed down enough to only do her homework, and the minimal amount of work, and stopped studying all together, while everyone else crammed.

On the day of the OWL's for Divination, Charms, and Transfiguration, she was ready, and rested while everyone else looked like zombies. Her plans worked, and she was only a little nervous.

Charms and Divination were easy, she remembered them calling for a break before Transfiguration.

"I'll meet you out there." She told Lily as Loralei packed up her bag. "I'm going to get something from the dormitory." Loralei paused for a second. "If Siri asks, I'll see him later."

Lily nodded. "I'll be by the lake."

"Meet you there." Loralei said, before putting her bag on her shoulder, and they went in opposite directions.

Loralei dove up the stairs for her Transfiguration textbook that she had been studying a little last night, before going back to the Black Lake where she was meeting Lily, Alice, and Melanie. But when she got out there, Lily stormed passed her, looking like she was about to cry.

"What happened?"

"Ask your brother and boyfriend." She sniffed, before breaking into a run, getting farther and father away from Loralei and the rest of the fifth years.

_I'll go see her later._ Loralei decided, confused to what could have caused this.

"Who wants to see me take off Snivelly's pants?" James called.

"James Charles Potter!" Loralei screeched, getting out her wand before letting Severus down, falling into the ground with a grunt before she went to stand between him and her brother and boyfriend.

"Lore, out of the way." James said, a fierce note in his voice. "He called Lily a mudblood!"

"I don't care!" She told him. "Did he by chance do it while you were tormenting him?"

James faltered a bit, before standing, with his wand still pointed at his sister. "Get. Out. Of. My. Way."

She stood tall, but didn't raise her wand at him, she stood with her arms away from her body, shielding Severus' from her brother. "James, walk away." She turned to the crowd surrounding them. "Don't you have something better to do?"

"Loralei, come here." Sirius told her sternly.

"You are not my father," she told him. "Neither of you can control me, and I don't care what anyone did, they don't deserve this. At all."

"This isn't some innocent person." Sirius snarled. "He's a Slytherin."

"So is Regulus! And Andy!" Loralei yelled back. "Just because he is in one house doesn't give you the right to bully them constantly!"

"He's not an innocent!"

"This is exactly what deatheaters are doing, do you want to be like them?" Loralei asked. "If so, curse me." She threw her wand at their feet. "I'm unarmed, and at your mercy. I can't stop you." She watched them, as the crowd watched Loralei face off against the people she loved.

James slowly lowered his wand.

Loralei again turned to the crowd. "Did you not hear me? Piss off." She hissed, then suddenly everyone couldn't get out of there fast enough.

"You're choosing him over us?" Sirius asked, a mix of fury and disbelief on his face. "Over me?"

"I'm choosing what is right." She told him. "Just because no one else here was brave enough to doesn't mean that I won't." She looked at Remus, who looked like he was trying to stay unnoticed "Some Gryffidor you are, how dare any of you call yourselves that if you need to be together to take on one person. It's where the brave at heart dwell, not the cowards."

"Potter, I could've handled this." Severus hissed at her, getting right behind her, still using her as a shield, contradicting what he said.

"Too bad, I'm involved." She told him, before turning back to the Marauders.

"I can't believe this." Sirius said.

Her eyes flashed to him, growing darker in anger. "You and I will talk about this later, same with you James. Oh, and the quiet ones over there, don't think I forgot about you. Your dorm after OWL's, if you're not there it's not gonna help you."

"Why should we care what you think?" Sirius asked.

Loralei smiled the cruelest smile she ever could at them. "Maybe it's because I'm your girlfriend, or maybe it's because you love me? I don't know, you tell me."

Sirius was starting to get red in the face.

She blew them a kiss, and held out her hand, her wand came to her, looks like all that practicing with no wand gave her an advantage. She stormed off to the castle. All five of the boys looking at each other, none of them reaching for their wands anymore.

"We're fucked." Sirius said.

"What the hell were you thinking?" She yelled at them that night, standing in front of them as they all looked like children that knew they did something wrong. "Do you know how wrong that is? You started it-no don't deny it." She said when Sirius opened his mouth. "I know you did, so don't try to bullshit me into thinking he started it, I know you all too well to know what happened."

"Come on Loralei, you know that he deserves it, he's into dark magic." Sirius said.

"Do you think that maybe you had a part of him getting into it?" She replied. "Do you think that tormenting someone will heal quickly, James what would you do if someone did what you're going to him, to me?"

No reply.

"Exactly, but he has no one, so don't you dare try to say that he deserved it, because it's a lie and we all know it." She told them. "It doesn't matter if the wounds you inflict on each other heal, there will always be a scar."

"How do you know?" Sirius replied. "Nothing bad has happened to you."

"I promised myself I wouldn't hit any of you when I came in here, don't make me change my mind. Just because you don't get to see where someone's hurt, doesn't mean they aren't. Should I mention my first three years here? I believe you were quite the bitch to me." She shook her head. "I'm not here about that, back on topic, give me a reason why you should do what you did other than, 'he deserved it' or, 'I wanted to.'"

Sirius chewed on his cheek angrily. "I don't like him."

"Now we're getting to it. Why? Why does that give you the choice to torment him?"

All of them but Sirius refused to look at her.

"You are all in trouble with me, and you all should know how well that usually works in your favor." She sighed. "I have never been more disappointed with any of you. Three of you can go now, I think you can figure out witch one is staying."

Sirius stood up. "Sucks for you James..."

"Sirius Orion Black." Loralei said, her voice dangerous. "Sit down."

He took a deep breath, and sat back down, while everyone else got out of there quickly, looking at Sirius like they might never see him again, for all they knew, Loralei could be the next guest in Azkaban.

After the door was closed there was nothing but silence. Loralei wanted him to speak first, it took him a minute to realize this.

"You weren't supposed to know." No, that was not the right thing to say.

She started to laugh, not her real joyful laugh, this one was cruel.

"Oh, that's great." She said, grimacing. "I wasn't supposed to know. Because that's supposed to make everything better!" She let out a frustrated sound, and ran her fingers through her hair in that frustration. "Do you hear yourself, Sirius? Do you realize how ridiculous this is? Have you done this behind my back before?"

"Come on, Loralei, you know he's no good!" Sirius yelled, getting on his feet.

"That doesn't mean he deserved that!" She shouted back. "You know I don't like when people are treated like that. When anyone or anything is treated like that! We used to be friends, you know that?"

"I don't like him." Sirius said loudly, but not quite a yell.

"Well I don't care, I don't like half the people in this school but I don't hex them!" She shouted back. There was a bump outside the door and she lowered her voice to its normal, but stressed volume. "Look, I don't know what you were thinking, and I don't know how I am going to forgive you."

"What are you saying?" Sirius asked. "Are _we_-" he moved his hand to gesture to them, "-in jeopardy?"

She nodded. "Yeah, yeah we are."

He groaned. "Loralei...I-I wasn't thinking."

"So you're taking this serious now." She noticed. "Because you realize how serious this is-don't you dare make a pun."

"What can I do?" He asked, giving up.

"Prove to me that you don't do this behind my back." She told him.

"How?"

She closed her eyes and shrugged. "I don't know. All I know is that I don't date people who lie to me."

"You shouldn't go to bed upset." Lily told her after dinner that night. "That's what my parents say and do, and they're still happily married."

Loralei nodded. "That makes sense, I think I'll do that."

"Are you guys still together?" Lily asked.

"Yeah, we haven't technically broken up." Loralei told her, getting up. "After I'm just going to go to our dorm, okay?"

"Okay," she said, watching her friend as she walked to the boys stairs until she was out of sight.

Loralei took a deep breath before knocking on the door.

"Go away, Prongs!" Sirius said.

She opened the door. "It's not James."

"Shit."

That's when she saw it. A brunette girl only in her knickers and bra, underneath her boyfriend, who only had his jeans on, looking towards the door with big eyes.

All of her emotions went away as she smiled at him, the cruel smile she had been wearing all day.

"I didn't think we were broken up, doesn't matter anymore, does it? It's over now."

**A/N Look another chapter! Now I won't update in at least a week, but hopefully while I'm gone I'll get some more ideas!**

**Please review!**

**Kat**


	17. Chapter 17

Loralei didn't give him a chance to reply, she closed the door and ran down the stairs. The tears weren't in her eyes yet, but she could tell they were coming, and she needed to get alone before she let them fall.

Of all the times she thought Sirius would screw her over, it wasn't like this. Not in the middle of a fight. Or maybe she should've thought that, it would make more sense then when they were happy together.

God, how could he do this to her?

Sirius kicked the leg of the bed before swearing. He just kicked out the girl who's name he didn't even know. He thought they broke up, he thought that's why she left when they were fighting, that's what she said. "I can't do this right now." Isn't that a break up? Why didn't he ask? Why couldn't he just stop being such a screw up? He didn't know, he just was with certain people. People he wanted to impress more than anyone else.

He knew he couldn't go to her, he couldn't try to explain, because she wasn't going to listen to him. Not now. Not anymore. He just hoped that James, Remus, or Lily wouldn't kill him, unless the three of them teamed up. He was going to die slowly, wasn't he?

Lily was stroking her hair as she cried, shushing her softly, and promising a slow death for Sirius.

"I can't believe he would do that-well I can, just not on you." Lily whispered to her. "What's James going to do?"

Loralei stopped whimpering with her tears as two voices in her started arguing. The part that was furious, and the part that still loved him. He hurt her, more than anyone else has; but he also was the most fun she ever had, they worked together, they could tell each other so much with one look, and understand where the other was coming from completely. They could argue and fight with each other, but stand beside each other to fight within seconds.

After a long moment, she swallowed before answering in a grave voice. "He's not going to find out."

"Pardon?"

"He's not going to know. No one is, this is between you and me." She whispered.

"I can't let him get away with this."

"He won't. We both know I can handle myself, I can't handle this. I will do this my way. I promise that he will never hurt me again." She told her. "But don't make James and Remus lose their best friend."

"They can handle it."

"They need each other, and with what's happening in our world they're going to need it. Sirius will leave me alone, I know it, just please don't tell anyone."

"I don't-"

"Promise me."

"I-"

"Promise me."

The door opened to find Mary Mcdonald looking at Lily and Loralei. "Snape's threatening to sleep outside unless you talk to him." She told Lily.

Loralei wiped her tears off her cheeks before Mary could see. "Promise me, Lily."

Lily looked desperately at her best friend, before reaching for her face and kissing her forehead. "I promise." She looked at Mary. "Okay, okay I will." She grabbed her best friend's hand and squeezed it. "I know you've been through a lot today, but please come with me, just be in the common room waiting for me. Please."

Loralei nodded. "Okay, okay."

Five minutes later Loralei was listening to Lily yelling at Severus through the portrait hole, her knees to her chest and a blank look in her eyes.

"What happened with you and Sirius?" James asked her, coming to sit next to her.

She looked in the opposite direction of him, not wanting to talk about it.

He, of course, misinterpreted. "Come on, Lore, if I said I was sorry would you let it go? All I know is that I heard a couple bumps up there, and I'm scared what I might find."

To his surprise, Loralei started laughing, not her normal laugh either, this one was a little deranged. "Oh, we broke up. Too bad I can't break up with you or Remus, that would make my life so much easier."

"You dumped him over this?"

"Yeah, you know what? I did. Now why don't you go take care of him, I don't need you, I don't need anybody."

"Lore, don't be like this." He told her.

"Piss off, James, not everything will go your way, and you better pray that Lily will forgive you for what you caused today, because Merlin knows if I will ever forgive you. Ever." She told him, jumping to her feet. "Now go."

"Lore..."

"No, James, and after you go up there, be sure to inform Sirius that we are never ever getting back together. Ever." She told him as he stood up. "Did you not hear me? Go!"

"I think I will, you're a big girl, you don't need me."

"I don't!" She yelled. "Don't bother trying to talk to me at the party this weekend either!"

"I wasn't going to!" He yelled as he stormed away.

"Good!"

He stomped up the stairs before she heard the door slam.

She growled as the portrait door open to a crying Lily.

She held out her arms for her friend to go into. Now it was her turn to comfort her crying friend, just like Lily took care of her earlier.

Of all the things Loralei thought she could be doing right now, Loralei never saw this coming, and she should have, after all, she is a seer.

**A/N I would've put this up earlier, but I didn't have internet for a week. The sad thing about being on a ship in the middle of the Caribbean. LOL. Thank you to my reviewers/alerters/favoriters! You're awesome!**

**Please Review!**

**Kat**


	18. Chapter 18

They all went home somberly, they're relationships strained, unless completely dissolved. Loralei and Lily seemed the only ones who became closer, Loralei even went home with Lily for a week, just to stay away from the boys for a while, and get away from everything, even if she had to deal with Lily's bitchy sister.

Loralei made sure that Severus Snape didn't go near Lily, and when he tried he couldn't get passed the front door. Lily, in turn, would get the letters that Sirius sent Loralei trying to get her to come back to him, before asking her if she wanted to see them, and even when she said no, she still left them in a little bundle, unopened.

By the time the week was over Loralei was happy again. She and Lily were back to themselves, and stronger than before.

Apparently her parents had to attend something the afternoon she left the Evans home, so an Auror was there to escort her home.

After she got home she took a shower and unpacked from Hogwarts. Unable to find her brother anywhere in she house, she assumed he was with Sirius, or Remus, or Peter, if not all three.

She was rarely home alone, so it felt eerie being alone with no one but house elves doing their chores, and even then it was very silent in the house. A rarity with James and his friends always over.

With her wet hair soaking her the back of her tank top, she walked around the house, watching as rain splattered the windows, and lightning cracked through the sky, while the thunder rang in her ears.

She spun in circles letting her arms fly out around her until she was dizzy and could do no more than fall on the floor giggling, since she was unable to walk in a straight line to the sofa which was only a few meters away from her spot on the hard wood floor.

She laid there, and stared at the white ceiling above her head. One would think that after being around people so long, she would be lonely after an hour, but in fact, she was happy for the quiet loneliness that surrounded her at this moment. She was able to sing to herself, and laugh at funny thoughts that entered her mind without being asked if she was crazy. She was free from eyes of everyone, and she was happy. Undeniably happy.

Until she thought of Sirius.

She did wish they were back together, but she refused to go back to someone that cheated on her. Not opening the letters was hard enough, and right now they were in her room on her nightstand calling for her to open them. It took every ounce of her self control not to.

Loralei stood up after her head stopped spinning, and went to the library to get a piece of parchment and a letter. It had been a while since she spoke to Fabian Prewett, and it seems like the perfect time to talk to him, not to get back together, but since they didn't have a messy breakup they were still friends. She just needed to talk to someone who knew her, and wasn't close to her situation.

The letter was short and sweet, asking to meet up sometime soon, and apologizing for not writing in the last few months. She told him she missed him-which she did-and said that they promised to still be friends, and she was going to hold him to it.

She called her owl, and sent him on his way with the letter before resuming her wandering around the vast, lonely house.

She was surprised when the owl returned within the hour, he must have missed her too.

_Want to floo over now? Gideon's out with some girl from work and I'm off this week._

_Fab_

She smiled, before telling one of the elves to tell her parents where she was when they got home, and flooed to his apartment in Diagon Alley.

She visited when he first got it last year after he graduated, two bedroom, one bath, the kitchen and living room connected. It was the cutest apartment she had ever seen, and it was just so him.

Fabian was sitting on the sofa, looking the same as he did a year ago. Shaggy ginger hair and deep blue eyes, always smiling, and stood a foot taller than Loralei.

He stood up and walked towards her, hugging her tightly.

"Long time no see, Lei." He told her smiling. "It's about time you came over."

"Don't you remember OWL year?" She asked. "It's grueling."

"Of course it is, that's why you're on-" He turned around and picked up a newspaper, "-the front page of the daily prophet!"

Loralei groaned, and put her hands to her face. "What does it say?" In actuality she was happy he was teasing her about it this was one of the things she missed about him.

He cleared his throat. "'Loralei Potter who hasn't been seen since the summer break began at Hogwarts, has been rumored to have broken up with her longtime boyfriend, Sirius Black. Where is she? Where has she been? Her family as well as her ex-boyfriend are unwilling to comment, but it has been heard that she is hiding out with friends to stay away from Sirius Black. Soon to turn sixteen, Loralei has lost her boyfriend and seems to be in a deep depression. Will things turn around by fall? I will keep you updated with any news that comes my way.'" He looked up at her smiling. "You don't seem so depressed to me." He told her.

She rolled her eyes, trying not to laugh at the article. "I'm not, I'm not going to say I'm over it, but what's done is done. I'm going to put everything behind me."

"Yeah, yeah." He rolled his eyes. "Stop being so grown up, we're going out for ice cream."

"You know me so well." She grinned. "Lead the way."

He took her to Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor which had just opened at the beginning of summer, he got their ice creams while she got the booth in the back of the parlor.

"So," he said when he handed her the ice cream. "What made you owl me after so long?"

"I needed a friend who made me laugh, you're name was the first in my mind." She told him, putting a spoonful of chocolate ice cream in her mouth.

"I'm touched." He told her. "So, are you going to tell me what happened with you two, or am I going to have to guess?"

Loralei sighed. "We had a fight, and when I went to his dorm room to make up, he was on top of a half naked girl."

He let out a breath between his teeth to make a hissing noise. "Not good. How'd Potter and Lupin take it?"

She shrugged. "I have no idea, I haven't told them."

"Why not?"

"Because as much as I was mad at him, I didn't want to ruin their friendship, there's only so many people you can trust nowadays." She said simply.

"You care about people too much." He groaned. "What happens when he eventually finds out?"

"Sirius is screwed." Loralei laughed. "Doesn't matter, only four people know now, you, Lily, me, and Sirius...oh and the naked girl, but I don't know if she exactly knew he was cheating on me."

Fabian nodded. "Can I make you laugh now?"

"I'd be disappointed if you didn't." She told him, turning all the way towards him.

"Should I start with Sirius, or is it too soon?"

"Go for it, man." She told him.

"Do you want to know why his initials are S O B?"

"Why?"

"Because that's exactly what he is!"

She laughed at the bad joke, but she always did with him.

"Do you want to know what his original middle name was?"

"What?"

"Lee, but his parents realized he was white not black."

Loralei pressed her hand to her forehead, still giggling about how bad these jokes were.

"Geddit? Sirius _Lee_ Black?"

"Yeah I got it." She smiled. "Thanks, Fab."

"I'm always here for you Lei, we didn't break up because we wanted to, we just were going different ways. We're always going to be friends, right?"

"That's what you promised me." Loralei agreed before hugging him. "I missed you so much."

"Me too, Lei, me too."

**A/N Thanks to my reviewers! Apparently you guys know what song I was listening to when I wrote the last chapter...and let me tell you it made my day reading the lyrics in the reviews ;)**

**Once again I'm going to ask for reviews, not only do they make my day, but they also make me write faster!**

**Kat**


	19. Chapter 19

Loralei was surprised when she made it home before her family, so she just went back to her room to changed her clothes which were slightly damp from when she and Fab were caught in the rain on their way back to his apartment so she could floo home. She always felt better after hanging out with him. Why did it take her this long to owl him? At least now she wouldn't hesitate to do it again.

Halfway through Loralei putting on a T-shirt, there was a knock on the door, making Loralei's blood run cold. No one came to their house usually, and before she knew it she was thrusted into one of her premonitions.

_Sirius lying on the front steps, blood dripping from his nose and a cut above his right eyebrow, his eyes closed and his skin pale. He looked broken, and she could tell that at least his arm was broken, if not a few ribs by how shallowly he was breathing._

She snapped herself out of it, and ran down the stairs, before looking out the window to see exactly what she saw in her premonition.

She let out a breath before running to the door and yanking it open.

"Ellie!" She yelled for one of her house elves, who appeared at her side in an instant.

"Yes, Miss?" She asked.

"Sirius' room, on the second floor, can you take him there?" Loralei asked, the panic in her voice disappearing as she tried to remember what she had learned about healing from her mother.

"Yes, miss." A startling _crack_ and they were gone.

Loralei ran back inside, and went to the kitchen, where they kept medical things in a cupboard, grabbing whatever she could before running back up the stairs.

Loralei was running on autopilot, her brain doing all the work while her emotions were still running wild, and not in the way she liked with him any more. Nothing but concern and fear went through her. What happened to him? What did this to him? How did he get here? Did he pass out right after he banged on the door? How long until her parents got home? What was James going to say? What happened if he was so hurt he died? What if he woke up before her family got home? Because, goddamnit she still loved him, even if she tried to convince herself she didn't.

She did what she knew she could. She cleaned his cuts, and checked to see if his bones were broken, she could tell that there were two ribs, collarbone, and arm all broken. She sent word to get her family home.

Loralei went into a trance when her mother came into the room, and healed Sirius. Her eyes were large and unseeing, she had her knees to her chest, sitting on the floor in the corner of the room.

When Sirius moaned in pain, she jumped up and yelled. "Don't hurt him!" But before she could seperate her mother from Sirius, James dragged her out of the room.

"What's your problem?" He asked her. "She's helping him."

"Y-you didn't see him." She told him. "He's broken...he's broken."

James groaned. "I'm sorry about this, Lore."

She turned her large eyes on him. "Hu-" but she was cut off by a sharp slap on her left cheek. Her hand flew to her cheek, and she shook her head. "I'm going insane."

"A little bit." He told her. "Are you okay? Do you want anything?"

She stayed still a moment, a blank look on her face. "I'm alright, I think I'll just lay down for a bit."

"Okay," James said. This was the longest conversation they had had in over a week.

She started to turn around, but he stopped her.

"Are you ever going to forgive me?" He asked.

She smiled sadly at him. "I already have." She turned away from him, and walked to the back staircase.

"Then why won't you talk to me anymore?" He called after her as she quickly climbed the stairs with jerky movements.

Loralei was in her room, looking over herself in the mirror. She was wearing light blue jeans with a strapless purple top. Fab had invited her back today since he was only planning on sleeping in anyway.

There was a soft knock on her bedroom door, and James peered his head in.

"What?" She asked softly, running a finger around her gloss-covered lips to make sure none ran.

"Sirius really wants to see you." He told her.

She blew out a breath between her teeth. "Fine, it'll only be a second though, I'm meeting Fab soon."

"Are you back together with him?" James asked, leaning against the doorway.

"No, we're just old friends." She told him, running her fingers through her hair again.

"That you used to have your lipgloss all over his mouth." James said.

"People can move from that. Grow up James, he knows me, and it's good to have someone that doesn't know Sirius around."

"He knows Sirius, he threatened him when you were dating." James said nonchalantly.

"What?"

"When Sirius was hitting on you."

"Sirius was hitting on me?"

"Asking you out to Hogsmeade?" He said.

"What?"

"You really thought that we all were going?" James asked. "I didn't find out until later from peter, but still."

"He had every right to." Loralei said emotionlessly, walking towards her brother, before standing in front of him. "Now, I'm going to give Sirius five minutes, are you going to cut into his time any more?"

James stepped aside to let his sister through.

Loralei went to Sirius' room, taking slow breaths as she gilded swiftly and quickly there, before opening the door without so much as a knock announcing her presence.

"I could've been changin-hi." He said when he looked up to see her, before sitting up, and wincing.

He was shirtless, so she could see the dark bruising on his torso from the broken bones, she didn't let any pity or compassion enter her voice though. "You shouldn't do that, you're still healing." She told him in a monotone. "Your ribs are still bruised."

"I don't care."

"You never do, but maybe you should think about someone else for once in your life." She said, her voice getting hard before she shook her head and returned it to a soft tone. "Never mind."

"Talk to me Loralei, did you even get any of my letters?" He asked. "You've avoided me long enough."

"I got all of them." She said softly. "Doesn't mean I opened them."

"Will you please yell at me or something?" He asked. "I'm sick of you not talking to me!"  
"What do you want me to say?" She asked tiredly.

"I want you to tell me how stupid I am, tell me how bad I screwed up. Just talk to me." He begged.

"I have nothing to say." She told him. "I don't understand."

He lurched out of the bed to stand, hunched before her, trying to get closer to her, but she took a step back.

"You should lay down."

"I don't want to lay down, Loralei." He told her desperately. "I want you to talk to me."

"All right." She told him, in the same cool tone.

"So?"

"You're an idiot." She informed him. "You cheated on me, and I didn't do a damn thing about it. It's over now. It's all over."

"Don't say that, Loralei."

"You expect me to not picture you touching her when you touch me?" She asked, dodging him when he tried to reach for her.

"Let me change that." He begged. "I love you."

She looked incredulously at the ceiling. "And do you want to know the saddest part? I love you too." She looked back at him and shook her head. "And I hate it, Sirius Black. I hate that I love you, and I can't stop that I do. Trust me, I've tried."

"Give me another chance." He begged. "I'll never hurt you again. All I want is you."

"I'm not your type." She told him. "You want someone that needs you, I don't need you, I never did. Now if you don't mind, I have plans today. Lay back down, and heal up, because you're going to need it."

"I got these because of you." He told her.

"Oh, really?" She said, brightening sarcastically. "You broke your ribs, and your collarbone, and your wrist because of me? Take me now, I forgive you! Kiss me! Touch me! Love me!" She rolled her eyes, her voice turning hard. "No."

"Because we broke up, my family got on my back for it, and I ran away. You always said I was welcome here." He told her.

"I don't take that back, but don't you dare blame this on me. It has nothing to do with me." She told him, her voice dangerously low.

"I never said it was! I know it's my own fucking fault!" He yelled. "I'm the one that started it! I'm the one that hurt you!"

"Don't you dare yell at me." She replied. "You have no right to yell."

He quieted down. "You're right, I'm sorry."

She lifted her chin a bit, looking at him with a frown on her lips. "As you should be."

He took a slow, deep breath. "Please forgive me."

"I forgive you, I just won't forget. I don't date cheaters. Once a cheater, always a cheater."

"I thought we'd broken up! That's the only reason I did it!" His voice was pleading, but it was being ignored by Loralei, who was in no mood to listen.

"How am I supposed to know you're not lying?"

"Your father's pensive, I'll prove it with a memory."

She raised two fingers in the air. "One: memories can be changed. Two: do you really think I want to see it again?"

He paused. "You're right, of course you're right, that's why you're going to get all OWL's. What can I do to prove it to you?"

"You can't." She told him. "We're at an impasse, this is where we go our separate ways."

"I don't want to _separate_ from you." He whispered, looking her heartbrokenly in the eyes.

"And I can't be your friend right now, let alone your girlfriend, or anything else." She sighed. "I can't right now."

"Why?"

"I just can't. Let me go, Sirius, it's the best thing for both of us right now." She took the three steps to the door quickly, and opened it.

"Loralei-" The door closed, but he still went on. "-I love you."

He sat on the bed, ignoring the pain in his ribs, shoulder, and wrist, and put his head in his hands. He lost her, with the, "I hate that I love you," still going through his head.

Maybe he still had some hope. She loved him, even though she hated that she did, she admitted to it. He just needed to build up her trust again.

But how long would that take?

**A/N So I finally used the title in the story! I've been waiting for this moment since I first started writing this story. Just a warning, but the next chapter's going to be short, and just how Loralei and Sirius feel. I know where I want to story to go, and let me tell you it's going to take a while to write the whole thing. When I first started writing this, I was hoping for a twenty chapter thing, but since that will be the next chapter, I highly doubt it. I don't know how many of you are taking the time to read my A/N's but if you are, thank you for listening to my ramblings!**

**Please review!**

**Kat**


	20. Chapter 20

That night Loralei stayed awake, going through the fight over and over, until she had everything, from the heartbroken stare, to the black-purple bruises on his neck, shoulder and ribs. She didn't know what to think of it, was that their final showdown? Would he let it be? She was so tired of fighting with everyone, she just wanted to rest. Could she rest now? She just wanted a rest from the thinking, and the sadness. Was that too much to ask for?

When they first got together, he promised her forever. She believed him, and how she wished she didn't. The worst part was she wanted to believe him, and that made her. They were so happy, they fit together. They kept up with each other and never could get bored or sick of each other. They were in the honeymoon-relationship faze.

Then after a while, she could hear the talk. That they would never last, that he would eventually cheat on her, or dump her for someone else. She didn't believe a word, and she should have. She should have. She should have.

She believed him, all of his promises, everything he said. That they would eventually get married, because he wouldn't let her go, because he would never hurt her, because he would always be a safe place for her.

She remembered all those times they just fell asleep talking or just reading. They didn't let the words touch them, they were better than that. They would make it, because it was no one else's business. It didn't matter about anything but them, or so they thought.

It was too hard to think about how things were for her now. It was too good, too fun, too perfect. Even if she could remember without the heartbreak, how could she be sure that she wasn't seeing it through in-love eyes, making everything so much better than it actually was.

After everything he had done, she still wished that they could go back to what they had, before they ever kissed, before they ever got together. They were friends, no one could deny that. She wished she could touch him again without thinking of him touching that other girl, who's name she still didn't know. She just wanted to go back, so she could not think of him as a memory. She wanted him to be her present, no matter how much she didn't want to forgive him.

She couldn't get passed what he did though. How he tormented her once-friend, and cheated on her. They were perfect, and then they were dust. Some of her wished, in the back of her mind, that he would prove himself in some way, and show her that she could trust him. That he would never hurt her again, that they could be together in the end, like in the stories that she was so fond of. They were just stories though, and she doubted Sirius would be able to fight for her, since she never told him she wanted him to.

Then again, who knew?

Sirius laid awake that night too, knowing that ten feet above his head Loralei was having a sleepless night just like him; he could hear her floorboards creak when she got up to walk restlessly around the room, before returning to bed, and twenty minutes later do the ritual again.

He figured she must be thinking about him too. He was the last thing to screw her life up, from what he knew. He always knew she deserved more than him, maybe he should just let her move on to some better guy. That's what he should do, what she wanted him to do.

Could he though? He had never loved another girl in his life, never a childhood crush; she was his childhood crush, that grew up to be his first love, and he wished to be his last, but who knew if that was ever going to happen?

Sirius always knew Loralei was as stubborn as she was fierce, and it was rare to see her get upset about someone in front of said person, meaning that he was going to have to take a lot more yelling and fighting before he was allowed to even look at her unless he was asking her a something such as, "Could you pass the peas?"

He had a very long way to go, all right.

He had to go that long way though. She's proved that she doesn't hate him because she not only called for help, but healed some of him herself while she waited for the help to come, that's at least what Mrs. Potter told him. She also lied to her brother about why they broke up, yet more proof that she didn't want him to drop dead at her feet while she smiles at his corpse.

He had a chance, he could feel it, maybe he could get her to encourage it before summer was over, maybe he could get her to agree to friendship before they board the train to Hogwarts.

It didn't matter how many "might's" and "maybe's" were going through his mind. He might have a one percent chance that he could change her mind, but if there was something Sirius was better at than Loralei, it was at being stubborn, and he would use it to his advantage, as well as all her compassion and empathy. She had to know he would do this, or at least he hoped she did.

**A/N crazy1person2you3been4warned : I will tell you that they will eventually get back together, it's a SB/OC story after all! Thank you for loving this story! I think we all love drama as long as it's not our own, amiright? LOL.**

** Please review!**

**Kat**


	21. Chapter 21

Loralei awoke in a cold sweat, the dream still flashing in front of her eyes, a premonition, she knew it from the way she could feel everything that happened.

She brought out her nearly full dream diary, and started writing what she could remember. This wasn't one of the dreams where they future came easily to her, this was one of the few where she saw flashes, a smile-whom she believed was Lily's-above a mess of black hair-who could only be James'-and laughter in her ears from more than the two she saw, she knew that one was hers, one was Remus' and the other Sirius' there was someone else though, who's laugh she didn't recognize. It was high and could with no mirth in it, just cruelty. It brought their laughter down, and made it disappear, it made the smile turn to a frown, and that's when the screaming began. It made her shiver and her blood curdle at the sounds. She never wanted to hear it again. One moment they were in the sunshine, happy and safe, the next they were in a living hell, unable to get out. It terrified her, and made her blood run cold.

After she wrote it down, she shook it from her mind. Maybe she should show it to someone, like her brother, no, she wasn't ready for that yet. Maybe her mother? No, she would worry too much. Her father? Same as her mother. Remus? No, he was already suspicious of people enough with keeping his illness a secret. She had no one who knew that she was a seer to tell, another premonition to keep to herself.

She pulled herself out of bed, and touched the long braid going down her back, it was still damp from her shower the night before, so she took it out, and let the waves be brushed back into how its usual straightness.

She got ready quickly, before writing to Lily and asking her to meet up so they could go to Diagon Alley for a day of shopping, since it was supposed to be sunny that day, as well as a sleepover at Loralei's house after. She could come on the Knight Bus and meet her at the Leaky Cauldron and just take the passage there.

Sure, that there was no way Sirius would be awake at this hour, nor would they let him out of bed at least until tomorrow, she went out of her room to find something to eat while she waited for Lily to reply to her letter.

She turned on the record player, playing Devil's Snare-one of her favorite bands-softly on it so it wouldn't be so quiet. Her mother was probably in the garden trimming her roses which she let no one else touch, and her father was at work since it was nearly ten in the morning, unless James came down the stairs, she had the house to herself.

She was looking in the cupboard when James decided to show up.

"You used to write stories right?" He asked, right behind her.

She jumped out of her skin. "Merlin, you scared me, James."

"Sorry," he told her. "But, you do, don't you? Where are they?"

"What?"

"You wrote-" he started again.

"No, what made you think I stopped?" She asked.

"I-I don't know." He told her.

"It doesn't matter, why do you want them?"

"You wanted me to read it once, I finally have the time." He told her.

"Fine, they're in my room, on the top shelf in my closet." She told him. "Go wild."

"Really?" He asked.

"Yeah, you're gonna hate them, but go for it." She told him, wondering why he would suddenly change his mind, but deciding it was better not to find out.

"Thanks, Lore."

"You got them?" Sirius asked him.

"I still don't get how you're going to get back together with her with these." He said, holding up leather bound books in all different colors, black, blue, brown, green, and red.

"Because she wants to do things, but doesn't think she can so she writes it all down. Where do you think what she writes down comes from?" Sirius asked, opening one of the red books. "She secretly wants whatever she writes, she just doesn't think she's going to get it." Sirius waved the book in his hands around. "I'm going to give her it."

James looked impressed. "Can I help? I feel kind of bad for breaking you guy's up."

Guilt flashed across Sirius' face, but he hid it quickly. "No, mate. It's all right. I got me in this, but I might need some help when I actually get a plan together."

"Okay, well I'm going to leave you alone, to do your...er...'research.'" James said, before walking backward out the door.

"Thanks man." Sirius said as he began reading from the red book in his hands.

"Yeah, anytime." He shut the door behind him.

"Wow," Lily said, sitting back in her chair in the Leaky Cauldron. They decided to get lunch before they began shopping.

Loralei popped a fry in her mouth. "Two freaking days, and we both know he's going to stay for the rest of summer."

"Do you want to stay at my place? My parents adore you, my magical friend."

Loralei shook her head. "No, I can't run anymore, I need to deal with this. I just like to complain." She smiled sweetly. "How's Snape doing?"

"He hasn't come to visit, if that's what you mean." Lily told her, rolling her eyes. "He get's the message."

"Do you think he's going to try to bother you when we get to school?" Loralei asked. "Oh Merlin, you don't think he's going to try to corner you on the train do you?"

Lily gave her friend her, "not amused" face. "Thanks for putting that in my head."

"Don't worry, babe, I got your back." Loralei buffed her nails on her shirt.

"My knight in shining armor." Lily rolled her eyes as she smirked.

"I never did want to be the princess." Loralei returned her smirk. "Ready to go?" She asked, pushing her plate away.

"Yep," Lily finished her coke and slid out of the booth. "When are we meeting Fabian? I always liked him."

"Fab and Gideon," Loralei corrected. " Nine, they want to show us the night life here, now that we're sixteen."

"You're fifteen until next month." Lily replied.

"I'm half veela, that along with having a immature brother like James and keeping him in line makes me seventeen by now..." She looked up thoughtfully as she stood up. "We did this when I was fourteen so it probably changed by now."

"How old were you then?" She asked.

"Sixteen."

Loralei put a Galleon on the table for a tip and they left.

"What do you need?"

"I'd like to get some dresses, like normal fashion things, I love my mother but I feel like her dress-up doll when she buys me clothes." Loralei told her before tapping the bricks with her wand and stepping through the barrier.

"Dresses that we can change into for tonight?" Lily asked looking down at her Beatles T-shirt and raggy jeans.

Loralei nodded. "Green for you, blue for me?"

"Of course, it must match our eyes."

"I love the way you think, Red."

"You too, Blondie."


	22. Chapter 22

Loralei looked in the mirror's at one of the stores, it was one of those mirrors that had three of them so that if she moved just right she could see the front, back and side of herself. It wasn't a dress like she wanted, it was sky blue flair pants that made her look taller than she was, and a top that was sleeveless with a collar and tied in the front, showing her chest and some of her abdomen.

"What do you think, Lil?" Loralei asked, spinning around. "Good enough for a night out?"

"I'd want you." Lily nodded, looking over her friend.

"Good, I love to be wanted." She looked over her shoulder at her friend.

She bought the clothes, and they flooed back to Loralei's house to get changed and do their makeup.

They giggled as they went up the stairs, passing James on the way.

"Hey Evans." James said, checking her out as she passed.

She stopped, smiling for a second before handing Loralei her bag, and rounding on James.

"Hey Potter," she called, a flirting edge entering her voice. "Mind comin' a little closer?"

He looked at her suspiciously before sizing her up and stepping forward until they were a foot apart, her a little taller than him since she was two stairs above him.

She laid her arms around his shoulders. "I've been thinking about something James."

"What?" He asked, looking at her face.

"Oh, you know," she bit her lip provocatively, as she leaned in so she could whisper in his ear. "Things."

Loralei couldn't take her eyes of off them, what had she turned her best friend into?

"What 'things'?"

"I was thinking you could tell me." She replied, running her fingers through his hair, and taking a step down so they were touching, and made it seem like she was going to kiss him. When he closed his eyes she pulled away, taking three steps up the stairs, and away from him, her smile turning to a frown.

"You must really like me to let me get that close after calling you a dumb ass all these years." She shook her head. "That's for last year, now leave me alone."

Loralei started smiling at her friend. "Merlin, you're a bitch."

Lily smiled at her friend. "I learned from the best." She turned around and started walking up the stairs.

Loralei turned to her brother. "Come on, it could've been worse." She shrugged before following her friend. "Oh, and remind Mum that Lily and I are with the twins tonight."

"What?"

"We're going out with Fabian and Gideon." She said slower, turning around at the top of the first flight.

"Why?"

"Because even you and your friends can't party as well as them." Loralei smirked. "Mum has no problem with it. They're both in Auror training, and nothing's going to happen. I'll be back at midnight, and Lily's staying over so I don't have to worry about getting her home. Perfect plan."

"You're back with your ex?" He asked incredulously.

"No," she rolled her eyes. "Exes can be friends, James. Now we're going to get dressed, do our hair and makeup, maybe listen to some music and find shoes to go with our new outfits, find purses that match, oh and figure out how many condoms we need for tonight."

"WHAT?" He yelled, outraged.

"Kidding." She laughed at her brother's reaction. "Come on, man, take a joke." She turned and went up the next flight of stairs to the third floor.

"Loralei!"

"Come on, big brother, don't be a buzz-kill." She told him, not listening for his reply even if he gave one.

"Hey boys," She said, as Lily and her took turns hugging them. "Long time no see, Gideon."

"Yeah, well, maybe if you kept dating ugly here," he nodded towards his identical twin.

"I'm not the ugly one, you are." Fab replied.

"Sure, just keep telling yourself that." Gideon shook his head.

Fab rolled his eyes. "You two look good, new clothes?"

"We were shopping all day, what do you think?" Loralei smiled back. "So, you promised us a night of fun, where are we going?"

"A club, we should be able to get you in easily." Fab told them.

"You just won't be able to buy alcohol." Gideon added.

"So I can steal some of yours then." Loralei teased. "Show us the way."

They walked through the street, and came to a club with a short line for it, and got in,-as Fabian promised-easily, but not without the girls getting a black X on their wand hands. It was a dark club, lightened by little glowing orbs that floated in the air flashing different colored lights like strobe lights, and the bar was lit with blue light under it as well as where the bottles of Alcohol were held. Loralei could smell faint cigarette smoke, but not so much that it was overwhelming. The music was so loud that she could feel the bass pounding in her chest and ears. She already loved it, and the twins hadn't even given her alcohol yet.

"I'll go get us drinks, you guys can go find a booth." Gideon told them, having to shout to be heard over the music.

Fabian took both of the girls' hands and showed them where a small inlet of booths were, it was slightly quieter since they were farther away from the dance floor, but they still had to talk loudly to be heard.

"Like it?" Fab asked loudly.

"More like love!" Loralei shouted back. "Why haven't you shown me this earlier?"

"This isn't for the faint hearted, the music gets to you after a while." He explained.

"Yeah it is a little loud." Lily agreed.

"What?" Loralei asked.

"It is a little loud!" Lily shouted.

"OH!" Loralei nodded, laughing before yelling, "Agreed!"

"I'm not gonna lie to you, you're gonna be a little deaf after tonight." Fab told them.

Loralei nodded, looking around the place, before touching the curtains that were around the booth. "Is this where people fuck?"

"No, that's frowned upon here!" He shouted. "Close them, and see."

She did, letting the dark curtains close so the only thing that illuminated the room was the orb above the table, suddenly the music was softer and they could talk at normal volumes.

Loralei shook her head like there was water in her ears. "Much better."

"Now we just have to hope that Gideon will find us..." Lily said.

"He will," Fabian told them. "It's a twin thing."

"I want a twin." Loralei fake pouted.

Lily patted her friend's knee. "Oh, I think we could only handle one of you."

Fabian chuckled. "I don't know, I wouldn't mind."

"Oh come on, Fab, I'm always hard to keep up with, just imagine if I had a twin just like me, then no one could keep up with us." Loralei grinned. "Plus, it would be fun to switch places on people, right Fab?" She cocked her head to the side and winked at him.

"One time! I just wanted to see if you could tell us apart." Fab told her.

"I never did hear that story." Lily said. "Mind letting me in?"

Loralei laughed. "It was a month after we got together, right?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "You came to our dorm every Wednesday night."

"And you decided to mess with me." Loralei smirked.

"You didn't realize it wasn't me until you got on his lap."

"Yeah, you usually run your fingers through my hair, he didn't." Loralei said. "So I slapped him."

"I had that bruise for a week." Gideon said, bringing them the drinks. "I got three firewhiskeys and a butterbeer." He winked at Lily.

Loralei smiled at him. "Are you trying to get me drunk?"

"The butterbeer's for you." He told her. "I'd like to see Red let her hair down."

Lily rolled her eyes before taking the butterbeer. "Thank you Gideon."

Loralei rolled her eyes before taking the glass of firewiskey on ice. "Just how I like it."

"Your parents still let you drink?" Fab laughed.

"They're old and senile, and I'm not a lightweight so I won't get hammered. They'll fall asleep before I get home and I'll take a shower and brush my teeth before I see them so they don't smell the alcohol." She told them.

Lily shook her head. "You've gotten too good at going around your parents."

"Yeah, but watch, James is going to try to be the big brother type when we get home." Loralei rolled her eyes.

"Anyway, wanna dance Lily?" Gideon asked her, holding out his hand.

Lily smiled, and slid out of the booth, making Loralei get out first so she could get out. "Sure."

"See you two later." Gideon winked at his twin while Fab rolled his eyes.

Loralei winked at Lily. "Have fun."

"Oh, we will." Lily replied, and Loralei still wondering what she had turned her best friend into.

They closed the curtain behind them, and left Loralei and Fab alone.

"Gid thinks we should get back together."

"Why?" Loralei asked.

"Because we never wanted to break up in the first place, you're single, I'm single." He told her, trying to gage her reaction.

"It wouldn't work, it's going to be the same break up at the end of summer as we did at the end of my fourth year." She told him.

"One summer," he told her. "Come on, we can be like we were in school."

"You don't want to be my rebound." She told him. "Sirius and I broke up almost three weeks ago, and you're too good for that."

"So you don't still love me," he said.

"I never said that." She smiled. "You were my first love." She bit her lip for a second. "How about we're friends...that make out a lot." She scooted closer to the center of the round booth, he mirrored her.

"So I can do this?" He asked, brushing her now-curled hair back before putting his hand on her neck.

"And I can do this." She said, putting her hand on his shoulder softly.

"I can do this," he leaned down to kiss her.

Suddenly she didn't feel so sad about Sirius anymore. She remembered what it was like to be happily in love without having rumors and drama and having to worry about everything going wrong. Fab never hurt her, when they fought it was something stupid, or a misunderstanding. It was comfortable, and she wouldn't let herself think about the spark with Sirius, was the spark worth more than trust? No, and she was smart enough to know that.

"Wait, wait, wait." She told them, moaning from her heels. "We've been dancing all night, at least walk slower."

"Come on, Potter, it's not our fault you need to wear four inch heels to not be short with us." Gideon teased.

She pouted, before she stopped walking all together, and crossing her arms across her chest.

"Get on my back." Fab told her, bending down so she could get on.

She smiled. "Thanks, love." She got on his back and kissed his neck in thanks.

"Yeah yeah, you're back together, we get it." Lily rolled her eyes, before giggling. "That was my first firewhiskey."

"And you're never drinking again." Loralei said. "You're such a lightweight."

"You had two!" Lily replied, before stumbling in her flats.

"And I never tripped in my heels." She said.

"I'm tired." She said in a childlike voice.

"That happens." Loralei told her. "Don't worry, after we get to their apartment it's just a quick floo to their house."

"We could apparate you guys home." Gideon told them.

Loralei shook her head. "We have wards around the house to stop that."

"Of course, your dad being the Minister and all!" Gideon replied.

"You should've known, Gid, you are in Auror training and all..." Fab trailed off. "You know you're shadowing one of his guards next week."

Gideon rolled his eyes. "I don't always listen when they talk."

"You don't say," Loralei laughed.

They reached the twin's building and they went up the stairs, Loralei nodding off on Fab's back.

"Stay awake, Lei." Fab told her, giving her a light slap on her butt as Gideon opened the door. "You're almost home."

"But you're so comfortable." She whispered against his neck.

"Glad to hear that, but I don't need the Minister to be pissed at me for his daughter not coming home." Fab told her, but she could hear the smile in his voice.

"But getting his daughter drunk is okay," she giggled.

"That's how you have fun." Gideon scoffed.

"Not in the morning when I have a killer headache." Loralei muttered.

"There's a potion for that." Fab reminded her.

"It's in my bathroom cupboard." She told him sleepily.

"That's right," he said, as he dropped her on the couch.

"Hey!" She cried, as she was dumped on the couch, before standing up. "Fine, I'm going home." She said, moving towards the fireplace before getting stopped by Fab's arm around her waist.

"I'd rather you not go, Lei." He told her. "But I'm doing it for you." He kissed her cheek. "Can I come over tomorrow?"

"Yeah, afternoon, Lily leaves in the morning." She whispered to him before kissing him goodbye.

"Goodbye, Red." Gideon took Lily's hand and kissed it. "I hope to see you again."

"Me too," she giggled, stepping into the fireplace.

"Really, you can stay over." Fab told her, pulling away.

"We'd regret it." She gave him a little peck on the lips, before walking to the fireplace. "See you Fab." She cleared her throat, and took Lily's hand. "Papa Oscar Tango Tango Echo Romeo Lima One Zero Zero." They were erupted in green flames.

"That is one long password." Gideon said. "What's the visitors?"

"If you want to see Loralei it's, Lima Oscar Romeo Alpha Lima Echo India One Zero One." Fabian said.

"You memorized that?" Gideon said.

"I was in love with the girl."

"Correction: You are in love with the girl." Gideon said, walking to his bedroom.

Loralei and Lily were giggling when they came out of the fireplace, they stepped out of it, and Loralei undid the buckles on her shoes and took them off, carrying them in her right hand.

"You've been out a while." James said from their sofa, Sirius was in the recliner next to him.

Loralei jumped, and looked between them, looking throughly snogged, a little tipsy, and with her hair beyond messed up from Fabian playing with it all night.

"Did you have fun?" Sirius asked, putting a smirk on his face.

Loralei put a genuine smile on her face as she looked at him. "Yes, yes I did." She turned to Lily. "Come on, I want to wash the cigarette smoke off me before going to sleep."

Lily sniffed her hair as they began walking to the stairs. "Me too, where's the guest shower?"

"Just the room two doors down from mine." She told her. "There should be some towels in the cupboards."

"Thanks," Lily told her.

"Oh, and James." Loralei turned over her shoulder, looking at her brother. "If I'm not down here when Fab comes over, just tell him to come to my room." She took off up the stairs, Lily giggling next to her.

"Are you back with him?"

"Mind your own business!"


	23. Chapter 23

Lily left the next morning in a haze, still tired from the night before, even if her hangover headache had gone away after she took the potion Loralei had given her. She left when the Knight Bus came, and Loralei went back to bed, wearing a tank top and leggings.

She didn't wake up again until she heard arguing down the stairs, she brushed her teeth and hair quickly, and ran down the stairs to find her brother looking majorly pissed off, and Fabian looking rather amused.

"I'm not going to let you in her room alone with her." He said.

"Uh-huh."

"No matter what she said." He went on.

"Yeah."

"And since I'm the oldest Potter in the house, what I say goes." James finished.

Fabian looked like he was trying really hard not to laugh, and mostly failing, unable to stop a smile from going on his lips. "I'm sorry can you say that again with a little more-"

"Sarcasm?" Loralei interjected, grinning from the top of the stairs. "Come on, Fab, my room's warded so all nosey and overprotective teenage boys can't get in."

As Fab passed James going towards the stairs, he winked at him.

"Loralei, no, the parents aren't home, so what I say goes." James said.

Loralei laughed. "When do I ever do what you say?" She rolled her eyes. "Come on, Fab's not going to be intimidated by you like all the other boys that fancy me." She held out her hand for Fab to take, before they started climbing the stairs to the third floor.

"Your brother's hilarious." He told her. "What's his problem?"

"He wants me back together with Sirius." Loralei told him.

"If only he knew..." Fab muttered, more to himself than to Loralei.

"Come on, we can't kick Sirius out now, he's sixteen and he'd be couch surfing until the end of summer. He's a kid."

"I don't doubt that he's a child." Fab replied, a smile on his face.

Loralei shook her head. "And I know him better than you."

"Is it bad that I don't like him living in the same house as you?" Fabian asked.

She shrugged. "Jealousy, one thing I never got. Why should you be in a relationship with someone you don't trust?"

Fabian nodded. "Which is why I'm not going to talk about it."

"Sure you're not." She looked up at him. "You still haven't said 'hi.'"

He leaned down to kiss her softly, when he pulled away he said, "Hi."

She batted her eyelashes at him. "Hi." She put her hand on her door handle. "Don't make fun of me, I woke up when you got here."

She opened the door to find her bed made.

"Those house elves are quick." She laughed. "I was gone two minutes."

"They know what they're doing." He nodded, launching himself on Loralei's bed, the springs squeaked under his weight.

Loralei shook her head at him. "Are you going to fall asleep?"

A bird pecked at the window.

"If you get that." He told her.

"Goodnight then," she rolled her eyes as she walked to the window, slamming her bedroom door with a kick. She let the owl in through her windows that open like french doors, recognizing it as Remus' owl Ronan, a small pygmy owl, and the most adorable owl she had ever seen in her life, even if it was a little spastic.

"Go home Ronan, you're drunk." She smiled, looking at her brother's name written in scratchy handwriting. "James is on the ground floor."

Ronan blinked at her, taking the small letter in his beak and flying back out the window.

"Did you just call an owl drunk?" Fab asked.

Loralei looked at him like she did nothing abnormal. "Yes."

"All right then." He laughed quietly. "Are you still drunk from last night?"

She shook her head as she opened the other window, since it was a beautiful day outside. "Naw, I wasn't even that drunk, barely had a headache this morning, it was only two drinks in four hours." She turned around and walked back to where, he was, sitting on him but only touching his sides with her knees. "I thought you were going to sleep."

He rolled his eyes. "Do you want me to sleep?"

"No, then you're no fun." She said, running her fingers through his soft ginger hair, and smiling mischievously. "Never mind, go to sleep, I'll braid your hair."

He grabbed her wrist. "How about no."

She laughed, reaching for his hair with her other hand, he caught that wrist too.

"Hey, I need to have some fun!" She struggled against his hold, but even though she was strong, he was still stronger than her. "Please?" She twisted her wrist a way that his couldn't and got it out of his grasp. "Ha!" She reached for his hair again, but he caught it again. They kept this up for a while before he got bored, and rolled her over so he pinned her to the bed, her wrists on either side of her head.

"No fair, you're heavier than me." She pouted.

"You'll forgive me." He kissed her.

She kissed him back and stopped trying to free her wrists from him, waiting until he let her go, when he did she slowly moved her hands to his hair, and put a small braid in his bangs, before pushing him off her.

"Thank you." She giggled.

He frowned at her, taking out the loose braid easily. "I can't believe I fell for that, I should know you better!"

"Yeah you should." She grinned.

He reached over and rubbed his hand on top of her hair.

"Hey!" She yelled before getting on him, and trapping his hands above his head.

"I didn't know you were into this." He teased.

"You don't know what I'm into." She replied, kissing him again before releasing his hands to put hers on his chest, slipping up until they were on the bed just above his shoulders to support her weight. His hands went on her hips, crawling up under her shirt while they kissed, brushing under her breasts with his thumbs.

She hummed against his mouth, putting her hands on his neck, and pulling them into a sitting position.

He pulled away for a second. "If you don't want to go farther than this please tell me now."

She bit her lip, looking at him for a fraction of a second before answering. "What if I want to go farther?"

He kissed her softly for a second. "You don't have to say a word then."

She smiled. "I'll shut up then."

He moved on of his hands out from under her shirt and brushed her hair back before kissing her again, putting his hands on her back and moving her so he was on top of her.

Her hands trailed from his neck down to the buttons on his shirt and started to unbutton it, before pushing it off his shoulders, he helped her get it off and threw it on the bed next to them.

"Your turn." He whispered, pulling off her tank top to reveal her breasts, throwing it on the floor before kissing her chest.

Then she heard a frightening sound; three pairs of feet running up the stairs. Fabian must heard it too because he paused.

"Please tell me your door really is warded against them."

Loralei's eyes got really big, as she shook her head. "No it's not."

"Fuck, did you lock the door?" He asked as they heard them enter her hall.

"No..."

They dove for their clothes, Loralei just got her tank top over her breasts as her brother and two of his friends came in, to see Fabian still half on Loralei, both of them trying to put on their shirts.

"Do you know how to knock?" She snapped.

"What are you doing?" James asked, looking livid.

"You haven't been in my bedroom in over a year, what's so special about today?" She replied, getting out from under Fabian and going over to the boys, Sirius was deathly pale, Remus looked like he wanted to get out of there, James was the only one who seemed like he wanted Loralei to yell at him.

Loralei pointed at Sirius. "You shouldn't even be here." She turned her finger onto Remus, her livid expression faltering for a moment; the full moon was two days ago. "There's cookies on the counter, double chocolate, you can go." She turned her finger finally to her brother, her anger returning at a rapid rate. "Oh, you want to get into my sex life now, well too bad, you never were allowed near it."

"But what if I told our parents tonight? What would they do?" James replied.

"You're going to tell on me?" She asked incredulously. "Really?!"

Fabian came to stand next to Loralei. "Look, let's be grown ups about this, she's a consenting-"

"Shut it, Prewett." James spat.

"Like children then." Fabian said. "Okay, well I'm a little relieved that I'm the only one that can use magic to be honest-"

"Did you not hear me?" James smiled at Fabian. "Get out of my house."

"It's her house-" but he was cut off with Sirius' fist connecting with his face.

"SIRIUS!" Loralei screeched, putting herself between them, and shoving Sirius back. "What the hell's wrong with you?"

"We broke up less than a month ago!" He yelled.

Loralei brought her fist back and let it snap forward, hitting his jaw. "If you remember correctly, I dumped your sorry ass. For a reason, I might add. Think about that." She turned to Remus and James. "You all better get out of here before I get really angry."

"She's right, guys. It's none of our business." Remus said, pulling on both James and Remus' arms, trying to get them to leave as Sirius cradled his jaw.

"Loralei..." Sirius said.

"You lost me, get that through your thick skull." Loralei told him. "Now get out, you're banned from this floor until you can play nice."

Sirius looked at her, livid, before letting Remus pull him from the room. "Come on Prongs."

Loralei slammed the door behind them, before going to Fabian who was fixing his bloody nose in her mirror with his wand.

"Are you okay?" She asked, going to get a washcloth from her bathroom, before making him sit down and cleaning the little bit of blood off his upper lip.

"Yeah, but maybe we could stick to my place from now on. I never liked running into my girlfriend's exes."

"So we're official then." She smiled.

"We've always been official." He told her.

She kissed his forehead. "Yeah, I agree, on both counts."

**A/N So...I changed the story to M, I really didn't expect it to go here when I first started it, but here we are!**

**Please Review!**

**Kat**


	24. Chapter 24

James was giving Loralei the evil eye at dinner than night, telling her over and over again that either she broke up with Fabian, or he would tell their parents; he should have known she would never back down from a challenge. It would be very awkward since Remus and Sirius was there too, but James had no sense of timing. No wonder why he could never get Lily to say yes.

"Mum, Dad, I have to tell you something."

Loralei kicked her brother under the table. "Pass the peas, James."

He turned to his sister, "No, Lore, I'm telling them."

She looked at him indifferently. "I was just asking you to pass the peas. By the way, Mom and Dad, I almost had sex today with Fabian but these three asses decided to walk into my room." Even though her words were casual, there was a pink tinge to her cheeks.

"We're you using protection?" Her father asked, keeping the light tone his daughter had used.

"We were getting to that when they didn't knock."

"Was it your choice?"

"Does it seem like it wasn't?" Loralei replied.

"It's your life, don't screw it up. Any other news?"

"We'll talk later." Her mother added.

The three boys at the table were flabbergasted. "What?" James said, his voice high. "She's fifteen years old!"

"Sixteen next month." Loralei corrected. "Legal, plus I'm in his creepy range."

"Creepy range?" Her mother raised an eyebrow.

"You cut your age in half and add six, that's your creepy range." Loralei told her. "It's a muggle trick Lily taught me when we were thirteen. Nine plus six is fifteen."

"Thank you for the math lesson." James said sarcastically.

"Come on, this is none of any of your business." Loralei told him. "The only thing I've learned from this is that my brother is a nosey bitch."

"I don't want my sister to be a slut." James replied.

Loralei's face went to a frown, before reaching around Remus to her brother and slapped the back of his head as hard as she could.

"Ow!" James cried, cringing away from her.

"You deserved it." His father told him.

"That was uncalled for, James." His mother agreed.

Loralei slid her chair back with a screech on the hardwood floor. "I'm done, can I be excused?"

"You're excused." Her father told her.

As Loralei stood up, she took her plate with her, before going to the kitchen and putting it in the sink, rinsing it off before leaving it there and rubbing her face with her wet hands.

"Son of a bitch." She muttered, though it was muffled by her hands.

"No need to be that way," Remus said. "I haven't done anything yet."

Loralei let her hands fall from her face, as she looked at Remus with her pouty expression. "Thanks for today."

"I tried to stop them from going up there." He told her, his hands in his pockets.

"I know you did, I could tell by how you acted." She told him. "You're the only one that rarely pisses me off."

He smiled slightly. "I know."

The corners of her mouth perked up. "So, are you checking on me because you were sent to, or because you want to?"

"Want to."

"And what do you want for it?" She asked. "Answers? What?"

"I don't want anything." He told her. "Do you really think I want something from you?"

She shrugged. "Most people do."

"I don't want anything, but if you want to talk, I'm here. No pressure, it just seems like you're keeping a lot to yourself, and I know you."

She sighed. "I keep having dreams."

"The special kind or the normal kind?"

"Special."

"What happens? Or can you not tell me?"

"I can tell you." She looked passed him at the door that led to the dining room. "Just not here."

"Outside?" He asked, gesturing towards the french doors that led to the garden.

"Yeah, that would be good enough." She said, taking a quick steps towards the door, Remus following her, when they were a few good feet away from the closed door.

"So, what is it?"

"I keep having nightmares...special nightmares...and I don't know what they mean."

"I don't get it." Remus told her. "What's going on?"

She took a deep breath. "Look, so there are two types of dreams that are prophecies, some that are straightforward and you can see that they're scenes, and others that are...less straightforward."

"Okay," Remus nodded. "What did you see?"

"I saw us, and when I say us I mean you, me, James, Lily, and Sirius, I think it's us at least, they came in flashes we were happy, but then something started laughing. I think it was a laugh at least. It was high and cold, and scary as hell. Then the flashes became terrible, we were in pain with nothing causing it, there was fire and I wake up. I don't know what's going to happen, all I know is that something bad's coming, and I don't know what it is, all I know is that it's bad."

"Have you told anyone else?" He asked.

She shook her head. "Not until I know what's coming. What's the use if we don't know what's coming?"

"Why'd you tell me then?"

"I don't know." She shrugged. "I trust you, I've known you for years, it seemed like a good fit."

"Thank you." He told her.

"Thank you. I've kept that to myself for days." She rubbed her forehead with the heels of her hands. "It's driving me mad, this thing I have. I know so much, and I only can tell so many people, and even then I have to be careful."

Remus raised his hands to stop her. "You don't have to tell me any more."

"If I did I would have to obliviate you." She told him. "If someone knows too much that they're not supposed to know, the world could turn into madness."

"So it's all on you. Tell me one thing, have you seen what's in for me?" He asked, looking down, as if embarrassed to be asking.

She smiled as she nodded. "Yeah, a few things."

"Like?"

"Pink hair, not for you." She told him. "Just pink hair, you're gonna fall for her."

"Isn't that too much information?" He asked.

She shook her head. "You're gonna need a little push to go for her."

"You're not going to be around then?" He replied.

Her face went blank, as she searched her memories for visions which she had of herself in the far future, she didn't see much, but she usually saw things within a few years of the time she had them so she wasn't too worried, just confused.

"No, but I don't have many about me, it usually has to do with something major for more than one person, or something that wants to change." She told him. "It's not something to be played with."

"How do you know?" He asked.

She looked away from him. "I saw me and Sirius getting engaged."

"You still could." He told her.

She smiled, looking from the sky back to him. "I don't think so."

"Why not?" He asked.

"Too much crap." She told him. "We were great, the best, but it's over now, I don't know if anything can change that."

"He told us that you said you still love him."

"I also said that I hated that I do." She muttered. "But I love Fabian too."

"But you're not denying that you do." He said. "So should you be sleeping with Fabian Prewett?"

"You should be a shrink." She told him.

"You didn't answer my question." He replied, smiling.

"I think you know you're not going to get one." She replied, grinning.

"I had to try."


	25. Chapter 25

Remus did give Loralei something to think about, and it took three weeks until she felt the full brunt of what he meant.

Loralei did sleep with Fabian, and when she came home she didn't know what she should feel. Not that it wasn't good, as far as she knew it was, it felt good, but she felt empty. Fabian treated her like a princess, she should be happy, she should be calling him her prince charming. She never wanted a prince charming and she never wanted to be a princess.

The house became quiet, like she was always home alone when she wasn't. Lily was off in Ireland visiting her aunt and uncle who had no idea who she was, so she couldn't send letters. Loralei never felt so alone even though she was surrounded by people. That was the saddest thing.

One night Loralei was just sitting on the kitchen counter, drinking tea that had long ago been warm, but was now was cold against her lips. She didn't look bad, it wasn't possible for her. Her tangled hair was thrown all over one shoulder, her makeup was taken off long ago, and she was only wearing a black T-shirt that she had stolen from Fabian that went down to her mid thigh.

"What are you doing awake?" Sirius asked. This was the first time that they had spoken in weeks, since he walked in on her and Fabian with her brother and Remus.

"Oh, you know, insomnia." She muttered, running her thumb over the rim of her mug. "What about you?"

"The potions say they're supposed to make you sleep, and they lied." He said, sitting at the counter across from her.

"Yeah, that's why we have dreamless sleep." She told him. "Do you want some?"

"Why aren't you using it?"

"It doesn't work for me." She said simply, not giving any more explanation.

"I'm good, it's not like school starts until next month." He told her. "I'll be off the potions by then."

"You'll be off them in a few days, your bones are healed, and your concussion is gone, it's now just for soreness." She muttered.

"How do you know more than me?"

"I asked."

"Oh."

They sat in silence for a moment, Sirius building up his courage before asking. "Why didn't you tell your everyone why we really broke up?"

"Why didn't you?"

"Self preservation."

She chewed on her cheek. "I didn't want to ruin everyone's lives over this one thing. James and Remus still need their best friend."

"But are we ever going to be friends again?"

"I don't know," she told him honestly. "It's up to you."

"I want to be." He told her. "I miss hanging out with you."

She swallowed, nodding, not giving any more answer than that.

"So?" He asked, trying to coax an answer out of her.

"So, we'll see if you can be my friend." She replied. "And we'll see if I can be yours."

"How do we start it?"

"I don't know, what do we usually talk about?" She replied.

"About what's going on with us." He replied. "Our lives. Our day."

"You're not ready to hear about mine." She told him. "You tell me."

"There's not much to tell, I read."

The left corner of her mouth perked up. "What were you reading?"

"Sherlock Holmes." He told her. "You've them all."

"They're good." She told him. "Which one did you read?"

"The last one I read was the Adventure of the Speckled Band." He told her. "In the short stories."

"I know which one." She told him. "With the snake right?"

He nodded. "Yeah. So how's Lily doing? I heard that she got your brother to think she was going to kiss him."

She laughed quietly. "She's all right. She's with her aunt and uncle until school so I won't hear from her until then."

"So you spend every day with Fabian?"

"We don't have to talk about that." She told him. "I get it."

"No, it's okay." He said, just wanting to know. "Are you guys doing good?"

She chewed on the inside of her cheek, trying to find a way around answering. "We're okay."

"What's going to happen when school starts again?" He asked.

She shrugged. "We haven't talked about that yet, I don't know though. I'm meeting his sister tomorrow, she has two boys and is about to have another baby."

"Great." He said.

"Yeah, and I love kids so..."

"Yeah." He nodded.

She jumped off the counter, and put her mug in the sink next to Sirius. "Nice talking to you, but I'm going to try to sleep now."

"Goodnight." He told her.

"Night." She nodded, before leaving.

_That wasn't too bad for a first talk, was it? _She thought as she quietly climbed the stairs.

"You and Fabian are pretty serious, aren't you?" Molly asked her, settling on the couch with one hand on her large round baby bump. She was beautiful, with long bright red hair that was tied in a tight bun on top of her head and hazel eyes, and was positively glowing.

Loralei nodded, as she stopped four year old Charlie from pulling on her hair as she played with him, keeping him busy with little wooden blocks on the floor. "Yeah, I think so."

"You're good with him." She told Loralei, motioning to her son. "He's a little wild child."

"He's sweet." She laughed. "Trust me, with a brother like mine no child is too hard for me to handle."

Molly laughed. "Tell me about it, I used to babysit Fabian and Gideon all the time, nightmares, both of them."

"I wouldn't expect anything different." Loralei replied goodheartedly. "Were you scared when you had Bill?" She asked, mentioning her older son who was with his father and Fabian in the kitchen of the Weasley's small home.

"Of course, I was twenty-two, but he was a good first child to have, a little angel." Molly smiled. "Bill's like my father, and Charlie's like his father, always messing about with things."

"What about Baby Weasley in there." Loralei pointed to her stomach.

Molly absentmindedly rubbed her stomach as she thought. "Too soon to tell."

Loralei laughed. "My mother always said that she knew James was trouble from the first month."

"What about you?" She asked.

"Adopted." Loralei told her. "Didn't Fab tell you?"

"He leaves things out." Molly replied, rolling her eyes. "Forgetful that one."

Loralei smiled as Charlie knocked down a tower of blocks.

"Oh, no you don't." Loralei laughed as she reached to tickle him. The ginger-haired toddler squealed and tried to push Loralei's tickling fingers off him.

"Stop!"

Loralei pulled him into her lap.

"I don't like you." Charlie frowned.

Loralei kissed the top of his head. "Sure you don't."

"Do you want kids?" Molly asked.

Loralei bit her lower lip, trying to figure out how to answer it. "Not anytime soon, and not if the war keeps going on."

She nodded, understanding. "You're too young anyway, sixteen right?"

Loralei nodded. "Yeah, I mean I love kids and all, but I want to fight for what's right."

"That's smart, I just couldn't resist." Molly smiled.

"I can't blame you, they're the cutest things I've ever seen!" Loralei said, hugging Charlie as he pouted. "Ginger kids are the cutest, I must say."

"Then it's a good thing you're with Fabian." Molly laughed.

Loralei smiled. "Yeah, I guess it is."

Charlie stood up. "Where's Bill?"

"In the kitchen." She told him, and Charlie went in search of his older brother.

"Do you ever think you'll have twins like your mother?"

"Oh Merlin, that would be scary, mostly if they were anything like Fabian and Gideon!" She laughed. "They would get into trouble all the time."

"That would be interesting." Loralei smiled. "You would have to invite me over if you ever do, I'll babysit anytime just to play with them, it's the only time I can play with wooden blocks without being looked at weird."

Molly laughed. "One of the great things about being a parent." She told her conspiratorially. "You can come watch them anytime if that's your fee."

"Sadly it is," Loralei nodded. "Seriously, owl me when you need a day away from your kids, I know it can be hard."

"I think I will." Molly nodded. "Does every day until the end of summer sound good?"

Loralei laughed. "You'll have to talk to your brother, I think he has plans with me whenever he's off work for the rest of summer."

"What happens after summer?" Molly asked.

"You're the second person to ask that, and I don't know yet, we need to talk about that." Loralei told her with a shrug. "I honestly don't even know yet, but I hope you'll still call me to babysit with whatever we choose."

"Oh I will, I think we could be good friends, Loralei Potter." Molly said.

"I agree, Molly Weasley." Loralei smiled.

**Please Review!**


	26. Chapter 26

_Come for tea? Two-ish? I know Fabian's working today._

_Molly_

Loralei smiled. She did like Molly, and her children were absolutely the most adorable children she had ever seen. It was not everyday that Loralei met someone so sweet and kind and not treating her like a child since she was much younger than Molly. She sent a quick reply saying that she'd be there, and went downstairs to find something to do in the meantime.

"Going out?" James asked as she came into the kitchen. Sirius was sitting at a barstool on the passthrough behind the sink.

"How'd you know?" Loralei replied, she had forgiven him for being a jerk to her, but he seemed to think that she needed his forgiveness for the choices she made.

"You have a bag." He said, motioning to her green purse that had its strap crossed across her chest.

She shrugged.

"I thought you said you had nothing to do today," Sirius said nonchalantly, picking at a string on his shirt.

"I didn't, but Molly owled and asked me over for tea." Loralei smiled. "I like her."

"Getting along with his family then?" James said. "You never tried to get along with Padfoot's."

"Sirius doesn't get along with his own family." Loralei laughed. "Let it go James."

"Lor-"

"Let it go James, it's getting old." Sirius told him.

Oh, him he will listen to, but not Loralei.

She rolled her eyes. "Play nice, James, our parents do like him."

"They can make mistakes." James muttered.

Loralei had to fight not to roll her eyes again. "What did I say about playing nice?"

He pouted at her, not saying a word.

She smiled sweetly. "I'll be back around four, and then I'm going to Fab's after dinner."

"He's not taking you out?" James asked.

"He's been working all day, we're just going to hang out." She defended.

"So straight to the sex then?" James snapped.

Loralei's smile went from sweet to evil. "I was trying to be less obvious."

Sirius closed his eyes, which made Loralei feel bad, even though she thought she had no reason to.

"Anyway, since you're not playing nice, I'm going to go back to my room, see you freaks later." She didn't mean "freaks" as an insult, it was actually an endearment. She walked back out of the kitchen, deciding she wasn't hungry and ran up the stairs.

"Hey, mate, think about it this way, it seems like they're whole relationship is sex and that never works out." James said.

"She's happy." Sirius told him. "Plus, you need to lay off that stuff, that's only going to make her hate you. We had a good talk last weekend, and we might be able to be friends."

"You don't want to be just friends." James reminded him.

"So? You need to trust someone to be friends with them, and if she trusts me, and likes me, it might be more. It's better than stalking her and asking her out all the bloody time."

"Hey, Lily did almost kiss me last month." James said.

"To make fun of you!" Sirius replied. "Try to get her to trust you then you might get a shot, I agree with Loralei on that."

"Fine, but let's make it a bet. I bet that Lily and I get together before you and Lore." James said.

Sirius shook his head. "No."

"Why not?"

"Because it doesn't work like that, you have more of a shot than I do."

"We have the same. Lily hates me for the same reason Loralei broke up with you."

Sirius shook his head. "Doesn't matter, Loralei only dates guys that didn't hurt her. I did. Prewett didn't. Who knows how long they will last."

"Cheer up. Remus even said that she still loves you."

"Yeah, he also said that she loves Prewett too."

"Look on the bright side." James told him. "Brooding isn't a good look on you."

Sirius rolled his eyes at his best friend. "You look on the bright side. Loralei forgives you for everything, and you don't even try to be nice to her for it, and she still forgives you after that. Do what she says and just play nice. Remember what she said to you last year? Lily likes having likable people around her, and you're not all that likable right now."

James rolled his eyes. "Yeah yeah. Wanna go help Moony set up for the full moon next week?"

"Yeah, I'm not missing out on another one." Sirius said, standing up and leaning back to crack the bones in his back. "Let's go."

"So how long until he says hello to the world?" Loralei asked.

"Soon," Molly told her. "Do you want to feel him kick?"

Loralei nodded, reaching forward to feel the slight movement under her skin. "Does it feel weird?"

"On your third kid, not so much, but he does like keeping me awake at two in the morning." She laughed.

"That must be terrible." Loralei said. "I love sleeping, can't get enough this summer."

"I was the same way when I was in school. Have you gotten your OWL results yet?"

Loralei shook her head. "First week in August, so next week."

"What do you think you got?" Molly asked.

Loralei closed her eyes, she already knew from a dream. "I didn't fail any."

"Really?" She asked.

"Yeah, and that's not me being cocky, it's the fact that I barely slept at all last year, everyone thought the bags were permanently under my eyes by March."

Molly laughed. "What are you going to be?"

Loralei shrugged. "I have three potential jobs. I could get into the Auror Academy easily with my grades and with recommendation letters, same with Healing, and Professor Cassandra wants me to be the Divination teacher so she can retire."

"So you're good at Divination?" Molly asked.

"Yeah, it's been my favorite class since I started taking it third year." Loralei told her. "I never got below an E in it, and that was when I was knocked out for a few days because a bludger hit me."

"Not bad, I barely passed it." Molly told her.

"I have the inner eye." Loralei teased.

"Then tell me what I'm going to name my kid." Molly challenged playfully.

"Really?" Loralei replied. "Do you want me to try?"

Molly nodded. "Let's see if you can."

"Percy." Loralei told her. "Do you want his birthday too?"

"Did Fabian tell you that?" Molly asked.

Loralei shook her head slowly. "August twenty-second."

"Is that a promise?" Molly asked, in awe.

Loralei nodded.

"You're a seer?"

Loralei smiled.

"You are, aren't you? That's why your Divination teacher wants you to take over." Molly said. "Have you seen anything else about me?"

Loralei shook her head. "I don't really see much about certain people. It'r rare when I see something like test scores, or the name of a child."

"What do you usually see?"

"Things that want to change, or that is going to be a big thing for a lot of people." Loralei told her.

"Do you want to share any?"

"You're going to make Fabian godfather, I think." Loralei told her. "Am I right?"

Molly nodded, impressed. "We're going to ask him next week."

"It's because I'm magical." Loralei quipped.

"Well at least if you work at Hogwarts I know my kids won't be taught by a fraud." Molly smiled.

"Yeah, well...we'll see." Loralei smiled.

Molly bit her lip for a second. "What do you think is going to happen with the war?"

"A lot of people are going to die." Loralei told her. "But I think that we're going to win. Voldemort's going down."

"You say his name?"

"My family does, so does Dumbledore."

She nodded in agreement. "When do you think it's going to end?"

Loralei shrugged. "It changes. But as I said, nothing is really set in stone. Sometimes the future wants to change."

Molly looked away. "That's scary to think about."

"I know, trust me I know."

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	27. Chapter 27

Loralei awoke with a start, breathing hard like she just ran a mile. She rubbed her face as she sat up, leaning on her knees.

"You okay baby?" Fabian asked, sleepily, his hand reaching up to rub her shoulder blades.

Loralei nodded. "Bad dream. We fell asleep, what time is it?"

"A quarter until ten." He told her, sitting up and wrapping his arms around her. "Are you staying over tonight?"

She nodded. Her parents were gone for some kind of foreign connections for the war, and it wasn't like she was wanted at her house. Or at least she felt like she wasn't.

"Do you want to talk about your dream?" He asked.

She shook her head. "I don't really remember it." But that was a lie, a complete lie. She got out from under the covers. "I'm going to get some water."

"Okay," Fabian said, softly. He could always tell when she was lying, but he didn't say a word.

Loralei walked out of his room, and went to the kitchen to get herself a glass of water, trying to get the visions out of her head.

She saw something she could never think was just a normal dream. She saw James...but it wasn't James, his eyes were different, and his body limp on the Hogwarts grounds. It freaked her out more than she would ever admit, but maybe it wasn't a fixed point in time yet, it could be one of her visions she had that wanted to change. Merlin, she wanted it to change. Even if it wasn't her brother, she couldn't imagine having someone die that looked like him. No matter what they put each other through they were still siblings, and had a bond that would take a whole lot more than it had to break.

Loralei shook her head and went back to Fabian's room, the glass of water still in her hand.

"Are you sure you're okay?" He asked.

She nodded, a hint of a smile on her lips, before taking a sip of water. "Yeah, I'm good." She got back in bed, and turned on her side to look at him. "What are we going to do when I leave for school next month?"

"What do you want to do? Do you want a long distance relationship?"

"I don't know." She told him. "I've seen you almost everyday since we got back together, it's going to be hard not seeing you."

"I could go to Hogsmeade to meet you when you can, and we have Christmas break." He told her.

"Yeah, there's always that, and I know the secret passages better than you did, I could get out most weekends when there isn't a game or anything." She told him.

"Maybe we should've done the long distance thing last year." He said, pushing some of her long hair behind her shoulder.

"Maybe," she agreed softly.

"I never stopped loving you, you know." He told her.

She smiled, and kissed him. She was unable to say that back, after all she pretty much forgot about him for a few months there. He didn't deserve this. She knew he deserved more than this, and maybe not with someone as complicated as her. Either way she couldn't help but want to stay with him. She was selfish in that.

"They're here!" Mrs. Potter called loudly, waking up the entire house; everyone knew what she was talking about.

Loralei barely bothered to put on some sweatpants before dashing down the stairs since she was the farthest from the kitchen. She grabbed her letter and just as she was about to open it, her mother grabbed the letter from her.

"Wait for the boys." She said.

Loralei pouted. "My future depends on those OWL's."

"So does theirs, you can wait a minute." Mrs. Potter smiled.

Loralei started tapping her nails against the counter because of her nerves.

After what seemed like ages to Loralei, Sirius and James came downstairs, yawning.

"Took you long enough!" Loralei spit out, before holding out her hand for her letter from her mother. "Please?"

Mrs. Potter handed the boys theirs first, and they still didn't get them open before Loralei.

_Ordinary Wizarding Level Grading system:_

_Pass Grades: Fail Grades:_

_Outstanding (O) Poor (P)_

_Exceeds Expectations (E) Dreadful (D)_

_Acceptable (A) Troll (T)_

_Ordinary Wizarding Level results for Loralei Rose Potter:_

_Ancient Runes: E_

_Astronomy: O_

_Care of Magical Creatures: O_

_Charms: O_

_Defense Against the Dark Arts: O_

_Divination: O_

_Herbology: A_

_History of Magic: E_

_Muggle Studies: E_

_Potions: O_

_Transfiguration: E_

Loralei looked up from her paper, happy tears in her eyes as she looked at her mother.

"What did you get?" She asked, taking the paper from her daughter. "No failing grades! I'm so proud of you! Six outstandings oh baby girl!" She hugged her daughter tightly.

"I knew sleep was overrated!" Loralei laughed. "What'd you get?" She asked the boys.

James looked down, a sign that Loralei did better than him.

"Let me see." Mrs. Potter took the paper away from her son, and nodded, not as happy as she was about Loralei's scores, but still pleased. "You only failed one thing, James."

"What did he fail?" Loralei asked.

"Don't sound so happy about it." James snapped, before muttering. "Muggle Studies."

Loralei and Sirius started laughing.

"The one class you took so you could talk to Lily? You failed boy." Loralei told him.

"Didn't we tell him in third year?" Sirius said.

"Tore the mickey out of him after I found out." Loralei nodded.

"His face was red for a week."

"We couldn't stop laughing for a month!"

"Yeah, yeah." James said, sounding like he didn't care, but his face told another story. "What'd you get Padfoot?"

Sirius hid the paper behind his back. "Nothing."

James and Loralei looked at each other, before saying in duet, "Together!" They lunged at him, James grabbing his arms, and Loralei grabbing the paper from him, before jumping away to read it.

James and Mrs. Potter were concerned when her face went blank.

"What's wrong?" James asked, when she looked at Sirius with mixed emotions in her eyes.

"He got an E." Loralei smiled. "You actually listened to me."

"What?" James said, releasing Sirius and taking the paper from his sister. "Man, you didn't fail any! You even passed Divination!"

"Loralei tutored me in it."

"And he learned." Loralei said, still in shock. "I didn't waste those hours of my life."

"I always listed when you talked." Sirius told her.

Loralei smiled at him, and gave him a hug; the first physical act of affection she had given him in months.

Fabian walked though the Ministry, he walked with purpose, and slightly anxious. He walked to the Minister's secretary outside his office.

"Hey Marie, is he busy?"

"No, but I don't know if he'll see you."

"Tell him who it is, he will." Fabian told her.

The middle-aged secretary did as he asked, and to her surprise she was told to let him pass.

"I've been waiting for this. Please sit down." Mr. Potter told him as he closed the door. "What is it you want to ask me?"

Fabian did as he was told before taking a deep breath. "I want your permission to ask your daughter to marry me."

**Please review! **


	28. Chapter 28

Soon it was the end of summer, Loralei and Fabian were just sitting on the couch, Loralei was reading while Fabian was playing with her hair when a owl zoomed in with a howler.

"Molly's in Labor, we're at St. Mungos now." Arthur said in a stressed voice, before it burned to ashes.

"Do you want to come?" Fabian asked her, as she sat up.

"Isn't it a family thing?" Loralei asked.

"You might be a part of the family someday."

Loralei laughed. "Sure, I'll come."

"I'll need someone there anyway, it gets boring after about ten minutes." He told her as they went to the fireplace and flooed to St. Mungos. Gideon was already there.

"You're quick." He greeted them, Charlie in one of his arms and Bill over his shoulder. "I just got off when Arthur got the news. I beat cha."

"Good for you. How long has it been?"

"Three hours? She slept through a few hours of it when it started though." Gideon said.

"Let me down!" Bill hit his uncle's back with his fists.

"Do you promise that you won't run around anymore?" Gideon replied.

"Yes."

"Fine." Gideon put him back on his feet.

Bill looked up at Loralei. "Hi Aunty Lore."

"Hey Bill," She got on her knees to look him in the eyes. "Are you ready to have another little brother?"

Bill nodded. "I want to name him Ginger."

Loralei smiled. "Why?"

"Because it would be funny if there was a ginger named Ginger." Bill said, smiling up at Loralei.

Loralei couldn't help but laugh at what the child said. "And this is why you're fun to talk to. Do you want to go get some chocolate cake from the cafeteria?" She looked up at Gideon. "Do you mind? I can take them off your hands a while."

"Please do." Gideon told her. "I swear half of my hair is gone because of them. They keep yanking on it."

Loralei laughed. "Come along boys." She caught Bill's hand as she stood up and took Charlie from Gideon. "It's time to get chocolate all over your faces."

Loralei and Fabian ended up taking the kids to their house that night, Loralei flooed her parents to tell them she was going to babysit the kids until their parents got home.

Loralei was laying on the couch with a sleeping Charlie curled up on her chest, sleeping. She was too scared of waking him up to move him to his bed.

Fabian came from Bill's room, and stopped, looking at Loralei for a while. Anyone who looked at his face could tell what he was thinking.

Loralei opened her eyes. "Hey."

"Is he asleep?" Fabian whispered.

"Yeah." She told him, putting her arms around Charlie before sitting up slowly, trying not to wake him up. "Finally."

"Don't deny it, you love the kid." Fabian whispered to her.

"I love kids, they're like pint sized little drunk friends." Loralei told him. "Who wouldn't want one?" She stood up, still holding Charlie to her chest. "I'm going to put him in his bed."

"All right." He said.

She got up, and went to Charlie's letting bedroom, and put him in bed, finding a little glowing orb, and blew on it to make it glow for a nightlight, then she creeped out of the room, being as quiet as a mouse.

Loralei went back down the stairs, and collapsed on the couch next to Fabian, who put his arm around her, and she leaned into him.

"Ever think about having kids?" He asked.

"Your sister asked the same question a few weeks ago." Loralei told him. "I don't think any time soon. I don't want kids with the war going on, I want to fight if I get the chance."

"I knew you were going to say something like that." Fabian laughed quietly.

"What about you?" She asked, looking up at him.

"I want kids, maybe not now, but in a few years. At least one boy and one girl." Fabian told her. "Ginger kids."

"You better find a ginger girl then, because they'll probably be blonde if you have them with me." She laughed.

"I can deal with that." He told her, looking away and thinking. "I can most definitely deal with that."

"What's all this thinking about the future?" She asked.

"Just thinking." He told her, in a far off voice.

"Okay then, I'm going to go to bed, I have a feeling they're going to be up early in the morning."

"Is that a hint?" He asked her.

She smiled, giving him a peck on the lips. "No, they're are children in the house."

Loralei came back after Molly and little Percy were home two days later, she had gone out to buy little presents for her three boys. She got Percy a little soft cream colored bear, Charlie a little toy broom, and Bill a book that he had wanted.

She gave them all their presents, which Charlie and Bill gave her sloppy kisses on her cheeks and hugs, before running off with their toys to play with them.

"Don't worry," she told Arthur. "It's charmed to keep away from walls and furnature, and it doesn't go over a foot off the ground."

"Thank you." He told her, rocking Percy back and forth.

She shrugged. "When I was first adopted James hated me because I was getting all the attention and toys, I figured it was the same way with biological siblings." She pulled the bear out from behind her. "This is for Percy."

"Do you want to hold him?" He asked her.

"How can I say no?" She smiled, holding out her arms for him, and holding him gently when Arthur gave him to her. "He's the cutest thing, and he looks like you." She told him.

"We have three boys now." He smiled. "We're running out of boy names."

Loralei smiled, looking at the small baby in her arms. "He's so tiny. I swear I'll just come over to hold this little guy." She looked up at Arthur. "How's Molly doing?"

"She's all healed up, but she's sleeping now. She's supposed to be on bed rest for a few days, which is going to drive her mad." Arthur told her.

"I'll come over if she needs any company." Loralei told him. "Tell her that, please. I have to get going, The boys, Lily and I are going to go shopping for next fall."

"I will." He told her, taking back Percy. "See you, Loralei."

"You too, Arthur."

**Diamondgirl3: IKR? I feel like I need to tell some of my friends that...**

**A/N I'm uploading little fluff outtakes from this story, it's going to be called "I Hate That I Love You Too." It's going to jump around, but it won't go passed where this story is! It's going to have the month/year the chapter happens in so everyone knows what year it is! If you want to you can look at it, but it's not going to have any weird twists or anything in it; as I said, pure fluff.**

**Thank you to my reviewers! It puts a HUGE smile on my face :)**

**Kat**


	29. Chapter 29

"I want you all to stay in the same shop, understood?" Mrs. Potter told them sternly, as they all lined up to take the floo to Diagon Alley.

"Yes, Mrs. Potter." They all said together, in tired voices.

"It's either that or I go with you." She told them. "You all have money?"

They nodded.

"You may go now." She told them, stepping aside.

They all went through, Loralei going first, Lily, Remus, Peter, Sirius and James followed in that order.

"I need new robes." Loralei told them. "Does anyone else?"

"What? Are you pregnant?" James sneered.

Loralei didn't get a chance to hit him before Lily got to it, slapping him hard across his face. "I've had enough with you. Grow up and get passed that she has a life and you don't, all you have is your three friends, which isn't too bad, but have you ever been on more than two dates with the same girl?" She didn't wait for him to answer. "Are you mad that she's better than you at everything? She forgives you for every fucking thing you do, and you keep snapping at her. Piss off James Potter and get a fucking life."

"You made Evans cuss." Sirius told him. "You really pissed her off."

James looked in shock at Lily, even though she would diss him all the time, she never struck him; apparently he forgot how loyal she was to the people she loved.

"Thank you, Lil." Loralei smiled at her friend.

Lily linked arms with Loralei. "I got your back. I need new robes too."

"Same." Remus said.

"We'll stop there first, it always gets busier later in the day." Loralei told them, ignoring James completely.

"Sounds good." Sirius said, when no one said anything.

"Then how about we get books and go for lunch?" Loralei smiled. "Then we can get things we don't need, but want."

"Like pregnancy tests?" James muttered.

Loralei rolled her eyes, before pulling her right fist back, and letting it snap forward, hitting her brother's jaw.

James grunted, holding onto his jaw.

Loralei shook out her fist. "Shall we go then?" She asked, as if nothing had happened.

The others couldn't help but laugh. After giving her brother a well deserved punch, she talks as if nothing had happened.

"This is why I love you, Lore." Lily said, pulling her away from the boys. "I'm thinking about trying to get my robes fitted like yours this year."

"We could be twinzies!" Loralei agreed as they walked ahead of the boys.

"And this is why you don't talk about your sister's love life." Remus told him. "You know the more you bring it up the more she's going to pull away, she wants to make her own choices, and you disagreeing only makes her want to do it more."

"Seriously, be a shrink." Sirius told him before following the girls.

"I've loved you since I was sixteen, I never stopped and I never will stop. Will you marry me?" Fabian asked, down on one knee that night.

Loralei blinked, looking around to see her parents, James, and Sirius all peering at them through the windows. They were in Loralei's yard, and she were leaving for Hogwarts the next day.

"Fab...what are you doing?" She asked. "We just got back together."

"Is that your answer?" He asked.

She looked at her family again, her mother was trying to get everyone away from the windows. "Come on, I feel like we're in a fish bowl." She grabbed his wrist, and pulled him to his feet, before going behind some rosebushes

"So what do you say?" He asked.

"I'm sixteen Fab, and there's a war going on out there."

"Exactly, we could die at any time...well not you so much being in Hogwarts, but still." He said.

Loralei shook her head. "I can't marry you. I love you, but I just cant."

"Why?" He asked.

"Because I'm sixteen, because I don't want to get married any time soon. I don't want to get married in the rush of marriages going on, I don't want to get married because it's 'now or never' I want to get married because I want to." She told him.

"That's your answer?" He asked. "I want a serious relationship, are we going anywhere with this?"

"I'm sorry." She told him. "I can't think about that right now."

"Then we're over." He told her, it wasn't a threat, it was just a statement.

"I'm sorry." She said again.

He sighed. "You said every relationship has a last kiss."

"And this is ours." She agreed, before leaning forward and kissing him softly before pulling away. "Goodbye, Fabian."

"Goodbye, Loralei." He started to walk away, and she watched him leave, before going back into the house.

"Loralei..." Sirius, James and Mrs. Potter started.

"Oh, for once in your life leave me alone!" She screamed, before running up the stairs.

"She said no." Mr. Potter told them, pouring himself a drink. "I know her well enough to know that. Do you?"

**A/N Sorry for the late update! But I've decided I'm going to update every Friday night unless something comes up :) I promise I'll have regular updates from now on!**

**Please Review!**

**Kat**


	30. Chapter 30

"Wow," Lily said after Loralei told her the story. "How are you doing?"

"Surprisingly good, actually." Loralei told her. "It wasn't as bad as Sirius, believe it or not. I mean, I love Fabian, but we just got back together after a year, it was a little soon, don't you think?"

Lily nodded. "Yeah, and you're just sixteen last Tuesday."

"I told him that, and he was in this whole, 'it's now or never' thing." Loralei told her. "I feel bad."

"Did you ever talk about the future?" Lily asked.

Loralei nodded. "But nothing like marriage, we talked about kids for a bit, but I never said I wanted any of that soon."

"Did he want kids?" Lily asked.

"Yeah, ginger kids. He wanted to make the whole world ginger." Loralei told her smiling.

"Did you guys ever talk about having kids?" She asked.

"No, just about if I got pregnant." Loralei told her. "It probably wouldn't have happened, but we still needed to talk about it. Sirius and I talked about the future more than Fabian and I did."

"You also got back together two months ago." Lily added.

"I know right?" Loralei said. "I'm sixteen and it's been two months, I don't think he was thinking, at least I hope he wasn't."

"Are you and Molly still friends then?" Lily asked.  
"I hope so." Loralei said. "I mean, I want to be."

"Just because it didn't work with you and Fabian doesn't mean you can't be friends with her." Lily said, comfortingly.

"That's what I'm thinking." Loralei agreed. "I hope she sees it that way."

"She seems reasonable." Lily said. "I bet she'll agree."

The compartment door opened to Remus. "Hey are you okay?" He asked, looking concerned. "James and Sirius just told me."

She nodded sadly. "I'm fine, it's just a little hard to grasp, you know?"

He sat down next to her, and put his arm around her. She leaned into him, putting her legs on the other seat.

"You'll get over it." He promised.

"I know, that's why I'm so confused." She told him. "It was better than with Sirius."

"You guys did go out for almost a year." He said. "Fabian was only a couple months."

"But we went out all fourth year." Loralei complained. "We were together longer. First love and all."

"Maybe that's it." Remus told her as Lily watched, in awe of how good he was with her. "You got over him once, you know how it goes. With Sirius everything was different, and it wasn't a mutual break up, he pissed you off and you guys couldn't get passed it."

"Yeah," Loralei muttered. "I actually wish Fabian and I never dated. It just complicated things so much more. I love him and all, but it wasn't the right time, you know?"

"We're young, it's the perfect time to screw up." He told her.

She smiled. "Yeah, at least I hope it is."

"She said no!" Sirius cheered, four compartments down.

"We get it man." Remus said. "Let it go." He turned to James. "How's she doing with all that?"

"I don't know, we don't really talk much." James muttered.

"So you don't care that she could be depressed or anything? Remus asked, standing up. "Well I'm going to go talk to her, see how much any of you seem to care about her." He slammed the compartment door behind him.

"He can make you feel bad." Sirius muttered. "Is it too soon for me to see if she's okay?"

"If you follow Remus, yeah. He's going to be all nice and sweet about it, maybe give her some chocolate or something, you follow that and you seem like an arse." James told him.

Sirius nodded, before breaking into a smile. "Still, she said no. She didn't even say, 'okay but in five years' or something stupid like that! She said no! She shook her head ten-seconds after he asked!"

"Yeah, and how is your plan to win her back?" James asked. "So far you got a hug out of her, and you're talking again, what's the next step?"

"Waiting." Sirius told him. "Since this shit happened, she needs some time to think about it, and get over it. He was the rebound, I'm gonna be the one she ends up with."

"You hope at least." James replied.

"She's talking to me already, I have better chances than you with Lily." Sirius told him.

"That changed fast." James commented.

"She moves fast." Sirius told him. "If she likes you, she really likes you, if she hates you, she really hates you. There's no middle ground for her, and she likes it that way. She likes extremes. Plus, Loralei hasn't hit me since we walked in on her and Prewett, Lily hit you less than two weeks ago."

"I didn't know that, and I live with her." James said. "Shut up about being hit by Lily, Loralei has hit you more than Lily's hit me."

"I dated her for a year, I know her pretty damn well." Sirius told him. "Or I should. I know her well enough that I might be able to get her back this year."

"She's stubborn." James replied.

"So am I."


	31. Chapter 31

Secretly all Loralei ever wanted was a great love story, one like Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy. One full of conflict but in the end they got passed it all. Loralei knew that she didn't live in a fairytale, it was real life, and love did not always triumph over all. Still, she couldn't help but have a small degree of hope. As any teenage girl does.

The Weekend after school was in, Loralei, for once, didn't do her homework all Saturday, and just laid in the sun since it was bound to be the only beautiful day for weeks. She didn't tell anyone where she went, not even Lily. She didn't want to be found, she just wanted to think.

What was Fabian thinking when he proposed to her? She didn't want to be married any time soon, and she definitely didn't want to be bound to someone. She wanted life, and she wanted an adventure. Something no one could control but herself. She wanted to be selfish and only think of herself, without thinking about the repercussions of her actions on others.

One thing that scared her though, was that she wasn't as sad as she should be. Before, when she and Fabian broke up the first time, she was sad, and she missed him more than she missed anyone else. This time she was a little relieved that he was gone, that she had time to think instead of jumping in head first. She could be whoever she wanted to and not worry about what anyone said. Who cares about people anyway?

As she thought, a black dog came up to her, and she rolled her eyes.

"Padfoot, what are you doing here?" She asked.

He gave her puppy-dog eyes.

She laughed. "You can stay as long as you stay a dog, I don't need rumors that we're back together."

Padfoot/Sirius laid next to her, and she laid back down on a towel, petting him softly.

"Sometimes I like you more when you're a dog." She told him. "Don't ask me why. I think it has to do with the fact you can't talk."

He growled, but it didn't sound like he meant it.

"I'm kidding." She told him. "I just feel like we're friends again. You know? We're good friends, right? Even after all the shit that's gone down. I miss being your friend." She looked over at his face, which was laying on his paws looking at her. He gave her a small nod.

She rolled on her side, and hugged him. "I'm happy we're friends again, have I told you that?"

Padfoot gave his head a small shake.

"Well I am." She told him. "I think we can be again, don't you?"

He nodded, wishing he could speak, but knowing he can't.

"I mean it's just reverting to a year ago, it can't be too hard." She muttered.

"Are you serious?" Remus asked.

Sirius nodded. "I'm not kidding. We cuddled."

"Do I have to threaten if you hurt her or can we just use the same one from last year?" James asked, throwing a quaffle up in the air, and catching it as he laid on his bed.

"Last year is fine." Sirius told him.

"Good, because I don't remember everything I said." James told him.

"I got the gist of it." He told James. "I bet Loralei remembers all of it. She's got a good memory."

"God you're not going to go all puppy-like again." Peter groaned. "It's so annoying."

"No, it's not."

"It is." Remus told him.

"We had a meeting." James added.

There was a knock on the door, and Loralei opened the door so she could get in. "Alice and I want to play quidditch, Mel and Frank are already in. Lily's refereeing too, so if that's what any of you want to do that you can't." She took a deep breath. "We need people, you guys in or what?"

"I'm in." Sirius and James said in unison.

"Sure, why not." Remus agrees.

"Yeah," Peter nods.

"Cool two teams of four. Frank and Mel want to play keeper so we just need chasers, no snitch, and Alice and I are captains. I already called Frank since he's badass." She told them. "Get your brooms, and meet us outside in twenty. Give me the quaffle." She held out her arms out for it.

He threw it at her. "Demanding much?"

She laughed as she caught it. "I have too much energy for a Sunday. I need it out of me. Now."

"We'll be there." James told her.

"Good, see you in a few." She shut the door behind her.

About half an hour later Alice and Loralei were calling out people they wanted on their teams.

"Frank." Alice said.

"James." Loralei called.

"Mel," Alice grinned.

Loralei turned to Alice. "You bitch."

Alice laughed. "Love you too."

"Sirius." Loralei said, looking at Alice.

"Peter." Alice said.

"Thank you." Loralei said to her.

"I figured I could give you him. Either way we're beating your asses." Alice replied.

"Come on, Remmy, get your sexy ass over here." She told him, making Remus laugh and give her a weird look.

Both teams went to opposite sides of the pitch, and made their plans.

"Remus, you're a decent keeper, right?" Loralei asked.

He nodded. "I guess."

"You're keeper, the rest of us are chasers." She turned to James and Sirius. "Frank favors the right side, so if he's guarding the middle post, fake to his right,-your left-then go for his left,-your right-got it?"

Sirius nodded.

"But if you're just dropping the ball, please just let James and I handle it. They have three people on that team that are on a quidditch team, so they have an advantage." She told them, hoping they would get how important it was for her. Needless to say, the only one that did was Remus.

"I think we should let them win. Come on, Padfoot humped and dumped the poor girl." James said, eyeing Melanie.

"That poor girl's engaged to the love of her life. She's fine." Loralei told them, not amused, her arms crossed over her chest. "We both know, James and I are pretty Damn good, Remus is decent, and Sirius is okay-"

"Hey!"

"So we should be able to at least put up a damn good fight, got it?" She said.

"Guys, think about it this way, we are the four hottest in school, besides Lily." James said, looking over at the stands. "We should get a good crowd before its over."

"Of Slytherins trying to get our tactics." Loralei said dryly.

"Come on, they're not that smart." Sirius said. "My brother's in that house. How stupid do you have to be to be in that house?"

"And people say Hufflepuffs are weak." Loralei replied, coldly. "Look at Mel, she's one of the strongest people I know."

Sirius looked away, he always didn't know how to act when both of his ex-girlfriends got along so well. It frightened him a bit.

"Come on, stereotypes are fifty percent true." James said. "We've discussed this."

Loralei closed her eyes, trying not to roll them. "Shut it, James. I'm not in for your hilarious wit today." She said sarcastically.

"Someone's got their knickers in a twist." James replied.

"That would be true if I was wearing any."

"Too much information, Lore." James covered his ears.

"Stop being an arse, Jamie." She replied.

Remus shook his head. "Stop acting like ten year olds."

"Fine," Loralei agreed. "Get on your brooms, lets play."

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	32. Chapter 32

Loralei moved gracefully, weaving around the other chasers to get to the goal post, and scored a point easily, but that was probably because she was riding the broom upside-down, her legs firmly on the broom along with one hand. She'd been practicing that over the summer.

About ten minutes after they started playing, people started showing up to watch. Mostly girls, but there were quite a few boys there as well.

"80-70 Potter in the lead." Lily called, loud enough for them to hear.

Alice got the quaffle, and sped towards their goal posts, where Remus was waiting, trying to figure out which post she was going to throw at. He realized too late, and made it in.

"80-80 tie." Lily called.

Loralei signaled for a time-out, and Lily granted it. "Time out! Five minute regroup."

Loralei called all her teammates together, hovering fifty feet in the air.

"James, I thought you were supposed to be the better chaser. It's just me and Remmy playing this while you try to impress the girls down there." She said, trying not to let her anger in her voice.

"What about me? I missed when I tried to get points." Sirius told her.

"At least you tried." She told him. "This one hasn't touched the ball." She poked her finger between James's ribs. "And he's a damn good chaser."

"Ooh, first compliment from my sister."

"Shut it, James." Loralei frowned. "I will throw the match against Slytherin this year."

James frowned at his sister. "Fine. I'll help you win this, but you owe me."

"No, I don't." She told him. "You've been an arse to me all summer. You owe me. Problem?"

He averted his eyes from hers.

"Didn't think so." Loralei told him. "Now, if you please, win."

James scowled at his sister. "I thought this was just a fun game."

"It is, but that doesn't mean you should throw it." Loralei told him. "I need a win."

"It's all about you then, is it?" James asked.

"I'm fine with you thinking that way." Loralei told him. "Now, if you don't want to that's fine, just don't get the quaffle, and don't get in my way." She pulled up the handle of her broom and turned around, before nodding at Lily to end the time-out.

"Alice wins." Lily said, smiling, though she was watching her best friend carefully to see any side that she was about to commit murder.

"Good job, girlie." Loralei told her, before hugging Alice tightly.

Alice reached over to punch James in the arm.

"Ow! What was that for?" James said, rubbing his arm.

"That was for not actually playing." Alice told him.

"I did actually play."

"No, you didn't." Alice told him. "I can see Lore's face from a mile away, and she had the, 'I'm gonna kill you' look on her face whenever you had the ball."

"Lets go." Loralei said. "I want to grab a shower before dinner."

"Me too." Alice said. "Lily, can you get us into the Prefect baths?"

Lily nodded, smiling. "Sure."

"I can't believe James did that." Alice said, towel drying her short hair. "He's usually the one that threatens everyone to win. Are you really going to throw the Slytherin match in the spring?"

"No, and he knows I'm not." Loralei frowned. "Scouts are coming for the Quidditch teams, and I would love to have them want me."

"What about the Divination job you want?" Lily asked, sitting on the counter of the Prefect's bath.

"Professor Cassandra hasn't talked to me about it in a while. I'm the only one that's taking her class in our year too. No one got a high enough grade for it but me, that or they don't want to take the class."

"What was the grade you need?" Alice asked.

"E, I got O." Loralei told them. "Apparently I'm the only one that pays attention, oh well, private lessons are good."

"Yeah, I know whenever you got detention with her you'd just practice with those crystal balls." Lily smiled. "I doubt you'll get much homework."

"If any." Alice adds.

Loralei smiled, brushing through her long blonde hair, sending droplets to the floor. "I hope so, mostly if I don't want to drop as many classes as I am taking."

"How many?" Alice asked.

"One more than me." Lily told her.

"And she's the over achiever!" Alice cried.

"I know, because I'm just that cool!" Loralei laughed. "Is it bad that I'm a little excited for class tomorrow?"

"It's always a little bad to be excited for class." Alice teased, bumping Loralei with her hip. "But I'll let you get away with it."

"Yay!"

Divination was Loralei's first class, and she couldn't wait. She did enjoy the private lessons she got with Professor Cassandra, she learned more since there were no fools asking stupid questions throughout the class. It was going to be Loralei's perfect year where everything went her way. It had to be, she needed it after the last few months.

She skipped to the classroom alone. Sadly none of her other classes that day were even close to the Divination classroom, but she was fine with running to Potions after it. She would probably get out early anyway.

She opened the classroom door, and found Professor Cassandra sitting at her desk looking at papers, before looking up at Loralei.

"Please, come sit." She smiled, though it didn't reach her eyes.

"All right." Loralei went to sit at one of the tables.

"I have some news for you." Professor Cassandra sighed. "I am not leaving my post in the foreseeable future."

Loralei blinked. "What?"

"I can't train you to take over my job, it isn't going to be open." Professor Cassandra told her. "I'm sorry."

"Why? Not that I want you to go, I'm just curious." But Loralei's heart was breaking, she wanted this job, and in her head she already had it. It was a part of her life plan.

"The official story is that I can't bare to leave. The unofficial is that my husband in muggleborn, and we are moving here for protection. You must have heard from your father who has been targeted by You-Know-Who recently?"

Loralei shook her head, but guessed. "Muggleborns?"

"Married to purebloods." Professor Cassandra told her. "I'm so sorry. If I could leave I would, but I would like to fight when the time comes, and I do not want to leave the country."

Loralei nodded. "I understand, I really do. I hope things work out for you."

Professor Cassandra smiled. "Thank you. I would say the same for you, but I know that you are going to do something great."

Loralei walked to her dormitory that night, ignoring everyone, even her friends when they waved her over, going to the Sixth year girls dorm and breaking down. Everything was going wrong for her, the thread of her life was fraying and she didn't know when-or if-it would stop. She felt broken.


	33. Chapter 33

"You're distracting me." Loralei hissed to Sirius, who was poking her side in Muggle Studies a few weeks later.

"Good." Sirius said. "Come on, Binns is boring."

"-So, you will be doing some creative writing this week. It has to be at least a page long. Other than that it is yours to do what you wish with it. That is your only homework this week, be ready to read it out loud." The teacher went on, looking around the room.

Lily leaned back in her chair to whisper to Loralei. "You're going to love this."

"Don't act like you don't." Loralei whispered back, giggling quietly.

Lily leaned forward again, as Binns finished the class.

They packed up their things, and left, Sirius staying close to Loralei, and pulling her back from Lily, who kept walking without her. "How are you doing?"

Loralei laughed. "Really? You always know how I'm doing. I'm great, I always am."

"That's good." Sirius said, though he wasn't believing a word. "Are you going to Hogsmeade this weekend?"

"Yeah, Lily and I are going shopping, why?" Loralei asked.

"Just wondering." Sirius replied, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"Okay, well what are you going to write? I'm guessing its going to be a page long at most." She teased.

"Maybe I could take something off you." He replied, playing along. "I'm sure you have quite a few ideas going though your head."

"Duh. Always." She grinned.

"Why are we doing this in Muggle Studies?" James groaned.

"Because they have many novels, and wizards sadly don't." Loralei told him, with a roll of her eyes. "Come on, brother, don't tell me you didn't know that. With Lily for a stalking victim you had to know that."

At least he had the decency to have a slight blush on his cheeks. "I'm not stalking her."

"Whatever you say." She batted her eyelashes at him, before running to catch up to Lily, linking their arms together.

"What are you going to do, Padfoot?" James asked, though he wasn't sure he wanted to know.

"Something that could get me yelled at or slapped." Sirius told him, grimacing.

"Or?"

"Get a second chance."

"So Black's been after your attention all week." Lily noted as they looked through rows of books in a bookshop that weekend.

"Well we are friends you know." Loralei muttered, sounding a little guarded about the subject.

"Don't tell me you didn't notice, he almost asked you out this weekend, if you didn't tell him we had plans." Lily said, getting on her tip toes to look over the shelf at Loralei, who was reading the first page of a book, as if she couldn't hear Lily.

"Talk to me, Lore." Lily told her. "You need to talk to someone."

"I know." Loralei agreed, looking up with her lips stretched into a sad smile. "Everything's just going wrong right now."

Lily looked sadly at her friend, and nodded. "I know, but things have to be looking up, you know that."

"I keep thinking they are." Loralei shrugged. "My dream job has been taken from me, I used a guy I do genuinely love because I needed to feel loved, and I got cheated on, causing me to use Fab as rebound. My brothers being an arse, and I just don't think I can do this anymore. Maybe my parents could send me to the Beaubatons or something."

"You can't speak French." Lily joked, trying to lighten the mood.

Loralei laughed sadly. "Yeah, look, another flaw in my plan."

"What do you need to feel better again?" Lily asked.

"A good day, where everything goes my way." Loralei told her. "Where something good happens and makes my day."

"Everyone wants one of those." Lily remarked.

"But I need one. Name one thing that actually went my way this month. Can you?"

Lily shook her head. "Sorry."

"It's okay." Loralei told her. "It's not your fault. I was just really happy last year, and I miss it."

"Everyone was happy last year." Lily stated. "That was a pretty good year for everyone, even with the bad."

"Yeah." Loralei agreed, a small smile appearing on her lips. "Yeah, it really was."

Loralei sat in the common room that night, finally sitting down to write her creative writing for Muggle Studies by the fire.

Nothing came to mind.

She did have words scribbled out on the parchment. She usually could just write, now she felt like she had nothing to say. She didn't want it to be something she felt; it was none of their business, but that was all she seemed to be able to write.

After a few hours, she got up, and saw Sirius looking at her, she smiled and gave him a little wave, which he returned, and went upstairs to get ready for bed, before everyone else. When her head hit the pillow, she fell asleep instantly, something that rarely happened to her, unless she was supposed to see something.

_"Take care of your brother." Mrs. Potter told Loralei. She was lying in a sick bed, in what Loralei recognized as St. Mungo's. Her hand was on Loralei's cheek, with Loralei's hand covering it. "And your father."_

_"I'll keep the family together as well as I can." Loralei promised, looking like she was about to cry. "I don't know how we're going to work without you though."_

_Mrs. Potter smiled. "I'm not scared of death, Loralei, I'm scared about what I'm leaving-who I'm leaving-behind." She paused. "Are you ever going to tell me what happened with you and Sirius? You would've forgiven him if it was just the Severus Snape thing."_

_Loralei smiled sadly. "You can't tell James."_

_"I'll take it to my grave." She promised. "I'm so close to it anyway."_

She awoke in a cold sweat, all the other girls sleeping soundly around her as she rolled over and cried, until her tears stopped. This was going to happen soon, she could feel it in her bones, at least she got some sort of warning. All there was left was to wait.

No, there wasn't, she had one more thing to decide; should she tell James, or not? That was the real thing she had to battle. She was his mother, and he was their only biological child. He needed to be prepared for what would happen. There wasn't one person that could hate Cordelia Potter, when she dies, or lies on her deathbed, everyone would mourn, every single person that had met her would mourn, and maybe even some that haven't. It didn't matter how much of a jerk that James had been, this was too big for petty revenge, and if he ever found out that she knew before, he would never forgive her for not telling him.

Her mind was made up.

So that's what she did, it didn't matter it was four o'clock in the morning, she pulled on her Gryffindor Seeker hoodie, and pulled on some converse, not bothering to tie them, not even bothering to take her hair out of the braid she slept with it in, she went straight to the boy's dormitory, the only light coming from her wand tip.

She kneeled next to James' lightly snoring form, and shook his shoulder to wake him.

"What the fuck, Lore?" He groaned, rolling on his back.

"I saw something, J-James." Loralei stuttered, hoping he couldn't see the cry-eyes in the dim light of her wand.

He suddenly stood up. "What did you see?"

"Mom's dying."

**Please Review!**


	34. Chapter 34

_Mom,_

_How are you doing? Have you got any news? Gone to see a healer? You know you can tell me anything, right? It goes both ways, right? I tell you everything, you tell me everything?_

_Nothing much is going on around here, I told you about me not getting the Divination job, right? I'm still taking the class though, who knows when the war will be over, and then the job will be mine. Still, one of the back up jobs are probably going to me my first ones. Which would you rather me be, Healer or Auror?_

_Love,_

_Loralei_

_Loralei,_

_I'm all right, but how did you know I've gone to St. Mungo's? What did you see Loralei, what can I still hide from you to stop you from worrying?_

_I'm afraid to say Healer, it is the safer of the two jobs, and if someone gets hurt you'll be able to help them._

_Love,_

_Mom_

_Mom,_

_What's going on? Isn't there a cure? We are wizards you know! I'll do research in it, and I might catch something they missed. You know that I'm good with healing for being sixteen. I'll do whatever I can to help you. Name it._

_I love you,_

_Loralei_

_Loralei and James,_

_Come to St. Mungo's from the Headmaster's office, things got worse._

_Dad_

Loralei showed the letter to James at breakfast, getting out her homework from her bag and thrusting it at Lily.

"Can you turn in my homework for me?" She asked, in a stressed voice.

"What's wrong?" Lily asked.

"Mom's in St. Mungo's." James supplied, doing the same to Remus.

"I'll owl you guys when I know more." Loralei told them, standing up and throwing her bag over her shoulder.

"Can I do anything?" Sirius asked, getting up too.

"No, we don't even know what's going on." James said.

"Speak for yourself. Mom's dying." Loralei snapped, before taking off at a run for Dumbledore's office.

They were at the Hospital not ten minutes later, an Auror with them, and went to the witch at reception.

"Where's Cordelia Potter?" Loralei demanded.

"Identification please." The witch said not looking up.

"I'm her bloody daughter." Loralei sneered. "What room?"

The witch looked up, startled. "I'm sorry, Miss Potter, I didn't-"

"I don't care, what room?"

The witch told her.

Loralei took off for the stairs, while James stayed behind to thank the witch, before taking off after his sister.

She flung herself into the room, their father was holding their mother's hand, she went to the other side, and hugged her. "What happened?"

"What did you see?" Her mother replied. She didn't look too well, her skin looked slightly green, and her eyes seemed too big. Her grip was a little shaky, and weak, unlike Loralei had ever seen her.

Loralei frowned as she pulled away, and gestured over her mother's sickbed. "This."

"When?" Her mother asked.

"The night before I sent the letter." Loralei muttered. "How did it escalate so fast?"

"Some tests came back." She muttered. "I didn't want to worry you two, with how much has happened this year."

"It doesn't matter."

"Mum-" James panted, after skidding into the room in front of the bed. "What's going on?"

"I have cancer, too far along to do anything about." Cordelia Potter told them softly. "I have at most weeks left."

"Is there anything we can do?" Loralei whispered to her father, as they stood outside the private hospital room. James was inside talking to her, while Loralei got some information.

He shook his head. "If there was I'd already be doing it. All we can do is try to make her last days happy."

"Why didn't we know before?" Loralei asked. "She's been perfectly healthy."

"They say that's normal, its her age and the lateness of it that's getting her."

"What kind of cancer is it?" Loralei asked.

"Ovarian." Her father told her. "She's in her sixties, even if they caught it earlier it wouldn't have helped too much."

"And there's no treatment?" Loralei rubbed her face with her hands.

"There's nothing. It would only make her more uncomfortable before she...she's gone."

Loralei hugged her father with a sigh. "Is there any bucket list she has?"

"No," Her father said, sounding a bit broken. "She just wants us all together when she goes."

"I'd want that." Loralei agreed, releasing her father. "Is there anything else I need to know?"

"All of us includes Sirius, since he's pretty much been like our son for years."

"I'll send a note." Loralei told him.

"If you can, can you guys go to school late tonight, and come back after classes, that would be great." He told her. "She doesn't want this to effect your grades."

"I think we can all say our grades are going to come down a bit through this." She sighed, closing her eyes. "I'll lie to her about that."

"Thank you." He told her. "Do you want to go back in there and get James out here."

She smiled sadly. "Yeah, I think she's going to want to have some girl talk anyway." She took the few steps over to the door and knocked softly before opening it.

"Hey," she said. "James, Dad wants you." She opened the door wider, and stood close to the door so James could pass.

He kissed his mother's cheek, and went out, only letting Loralei see his panicked face for a second.

"Come here, Loralei." Mrs. Potter said, holding out her hand.

Loralei closed the door behind her, and sat in the chair next to the bed, taking her hand softly in hers.

"What did your father tell you?"

"Everything, a few weeks tops, cancer." Loralei uttered softly. "We're going to come here after school tomorrow, and go back at night."

"Thank you." Her mother smiled. "Can you promise me something?"

"After I'm gone, take care of your brother and father."

"I'll keep the family together as well as I can." She echoed from her dream. "But I don't know how we're going to work without you though." Her voice broke on the last word.

Mrs. Potter smiled. "I'm not scared of death, Loralei, I'm scared about what I'm leaving-who I'm leaving-behind." She paused, changing the subject. "Are you ever going to tell me what happened with you and Sirius? You would've forgiven him if it was just the Severus Snape thing."

Loralei smiled sadly. "You can't tell James."

"I'll take it to my grave." She promised. "I'm so close to it anyway." She tried to joke about it, but it was still too soon for that.

"We were fighting about the Severus Snape thing, he thought we broke up, I went to the boys room, and he was on top of some half-naked girl."

"Oh, baby girl." Her mother groaned.

"Don't." She whispered. "I'm over it, it was a long time ago."

"No, it wasn't. Is that why you moved so quickly with Fabian?" Mrs. Potter inquired.

Loralei didn't find the will to tell her mother not to talk about it. Even if this was embarassing or pulling at scabs for her, her mother was curious to know.

"Probably, if I was honest with myself, it was a part of it. I really don't know, I want to think it wasn't, I did love Fabian, but I was trying to live in the past." Loralei swallowed, and rubbed her lips together before continuing. "He was my rebound, and he didn't deserve it. I'm not a good person."

"Yes, you are, my love." Mrs. Potter insisted, before smiling sadly. "You just made a few bad choices, I'm afraid."

Loralei laughed without humor, but was unwilling to fight with her mother in her state. "I'll tell you when I make a good one then."

"I'll always be able to hear you."


	35. Chapter 35

"She would like to see you." Loralei told Sirius as they walked through an empty passageway to the Headmaster's office. She told him that she could tell Sirius, and since he didn't want to explain that his mother was dying, he took the gift without question.

"Why?"

"You as good as her other son." Loralei told him. "She loves you like a son, especially since you've been with us for years."

"And how are you taking this?" He asked her, not fully comprehending what she had told him.

She shrugged. "I don't know."

He put his arm around her shoulder, and stopped her from walking. "Come here." She took his embrace gratefully. This wasn't about getting her back, it was about being there for her when she needed it, and right now she needed it greatly.

"I'm so scared." She muttered, sounding on the verge of tears. "I have no right to be, she's the one dying."

"You have every right to be scared." He whispered in her ear. "You love her."

"What's going to happen when she's gone? I'm going to miss her so much, Sirius!" She sobbed into his chest. "I don't know what to do."

"You're going to be okay, I won't let anything hurt you." He whispered into her hair.

"But I don't want her to die!" Loralei cried, her words barely understandable through her tears.

"No one does, she'll always be with you though." Sirius whispered to her, as she cried it out into his chest, feeling like her lungs were missing and she couldn't draw in enough breath. She was drowning in her tears and in her pain, and she felt as if she had no right to be so sad since it wasn't her that was dying, still, she couldn't stop crying, she couldn't stop the salty tears from going down her face. She knew she didn't look beautiful with her face red and her eyes puffy. Still, Sirius let her cry it out, until they were sitting next to each other against the wall.

"Everything's going to be okay." He told her, putting his hand on hers.

She flipped her hand over and squeezed his. "No, it's not." She said softly, cracking a small smile.

"You're right it's not." He agreed, happy to see her give a small smile, and returned one of his own.

"I love her so much, Siri." She told him. "I wish I was dying so I don't have to feel this."

"Don't say that." He said softly. "I don't think I'd survive long without your comebacks."

"What not my disapproving gaze?" She replied, trying to joke right back with him., "What about my sunny personality?"

"No, I think I'm going to stick with the comebacks." Sirius smiled.

Loralei laughed sadly. "Put that on my tombstone, will you?"

"I'm dying first." He told her. "I am older than you."

Loralei rolled her eyes. "Does that mean that it goes you, Lily, James, Remus then me? I don't think that's going to happen."

He shrugged. "In a perfect world it would be."

"It's not a perfect world." Loralei told him. "If it was a perfect world then I would be the Divination teacher in two years, my mother would be alive, and James wouldn't be such a jackass."

"And I wouldn't have cheated on you." Sirius added, looking at his hands. "I'm really sorry about that. I wish it didn't happen."

"We probably wouldn't still be together anyway." She told him.

"Well, maybe, but it wouldn't have been that bad, we could've still been friends right after." He paused. "But I am happy we're friends now."

"Me too." She agreed. "I don't think we can't be friends though, Mum called you a second son, you love her too."

"Yeah, I do." He nodded.

"We'll get through this." She told him. "I'm really scared about Dad though, in that big house all alone until James and I get home."

"He has the house elves."

"Yeah, but they're not friends. He won't have anyone to talk to outside of work, and I won't be able to be home all the time. I'm just happy his term as minister is almost up, before he was sworn in he had black hair, now it's mostly gray." Loralei tilted her head up, resting it against the wall. "It's funny, I always thought my parents were old, but I didn't think they were getting so close to death."

"Do you want to go see them?" He asked.

"Oh yeah, I was taking you to see them." She stood up, pulling him up by his hand with her. "Do I look like I've been crying?" She looked up at him.

He shook his head. "You look great."

The corner of her mouth picked up a bit. "Thanks."

"All of my kids are here now." Cordelia Potter smiled when Loralei and Sirius came in. "How was class?"

"Fine, Mum." Loralei told her, releasing Sirius' hand and taking her seat on the bed by her mother's legs, and taking her hand. "Slughorn is having another one of his Slug Club parties."

"Are you going?" Her mother asked.

Loralei shook her head. "I'm going to stay here with you, plus they're usually torture anyway. I think even Sirius got invited this time."

"Yeah, I did." Sirius nodded, sitting in a chair next to James on the far side of the bed. "Got out of it."

"Why don't I ever get invited?" James asked.

"Because the last time you were you nicked veritisurm and put it in the punch." Loralei rolled her eyes. "Everyone was spilling their guts to each other, and that was third year!"

Mrs. Potter laughed. "I remember getting that letter."

"Howler!" Sirius and Loralei said in duet, before looking at each other and smiling.

"What about Quidditch? How's that going?" She asked her son.

"We don't have another a game until November." James told her. "Slytherin and Hufflepuff have a game in two weeks though."

"That will be interesting, the nastiest and the nicest going against each other." Loralei added. "It's going to be a bloodbath."

"I don't know, that Melanie could just go for the snitch." James replied.

"That's true." Loralei nodded. "She's got fight in her."

"That's the girl that you told me about right?" Mrs. Potter asked her daughter.

Loralei nodded. "She's Hufflepuff seeker this year. I've never been more proud of her."

"What happens when you go against each other?" Mrs. Potter asked.

"We exploit each others weaknesses." Loralei said as if obvious, causing the other three to laugh.

"You're not going to have any friends left if you do that." Mrs. Potter warned her goodheartedly.

Loralei laughed. "It's mutual. We love and hate each other. Perfect friendship."

Mrs. Potter rolled her eyes. "Of course, Loralei." She said. "Could you get me some water?"

Loralei nodded, getting up and walking to the plastic pitcher of water, and pouring some for her mother in a clear plastic cup, before returning to her spot and holding it out for her mother to take.

Loralei had never see her mother's hands shake so much before. She frowned as she took the glass in her hand, only making it shake more.

"I'm fine." Mrs. Potter said, softly, watching her daughter's face.

Loralei couldn't tear her stare from her mothers hand, and could only nod in response. "I know."

The next day, Loralei was laying next to her mother in her the hospital bed, her head on her mother's shoulder, and her arm around her torso like she was a child again. She felt like a child.

"I love you, Mummy." She whispered softly.

Her mother hugged her tightly. "I love you too." She kissed her daughter's forehead. "Where are the other's?"

"Dad had to go get some sleep, and James went back to school." Loralei whispered, knowing that James could only take so much of his mother deteriorating before him. "He has homework to do."

"So do you, why don't you go." Her mother whispered to her.

"I'll do it later, it's not that much." Loralei lied, hiding her face from her mother. "I have time to do that." _I don't have time with you._ She didn't add.

Every moment Loralei was awake, she was fighting tears. Every moment that she was smiling and laughing, she felt like there was a hole in her chest, like she couldn't breathe. And every moment her heart was beating it was slowly breaking into a million small pieces. She would rather feel anything than what she was feeling now. She felt like she was dying along side her mother.

"Whatever you want." Loralei could tell that her mother didn't want her to leave either. Loralei wouldn't want to be here alone either, in this unfamiliar room that smelled like sick people with a low beeping coming from the heart monitor. It would unnerve anyone.

"I think I'll stay here tonight." Loralei said. "With you, I don't have an early class, so I think it'll be okay."

"Whatever you want." Her mother said again.

"Can we cry?" Loralei's voice was childlike while she asked this childish question. "We don't have to tell anyone."

"Of course we can cry." Mrs. Potter already sounded like she was trying not to cry.

"I don't want you to go." Loralei whimpered into her mother's chest. "I need you." Her breaths became uneven, and hot sticky tears poured out of her eyes down her face, before getting caught on her mother's Pajamas. She held her mother as tight as she could, as if holding her would keep her there beside her. Just like when a child hides his eyes thinking that someone can't see them if he can't see them. It's childish, but it was all Loralei had now.

"I don't know how I'm going to leave you." Her mother cried. Loralei was barely able to make out the words from her tears.

Loralei could barely breathe as she cried, as did her mother. They were both holding each other so tightly, that even if they could draw in a full breath it would be difficult. They loved each other so much, the love between a mother and daughter could never be broken; even if they didn't share blood, they shared memories.

So they cried, whispering that they loved each other between whimpers and sobs. Whispering that they would never forget, and Loralei promising that she would live. They hugged and cried, and ended up falling asleep somewhere in the middle.

Little did they both know that this would be the last time they were alone.

**A/N Yes...so...sadness in the Potter home this week...and next...don't hurt me. I promise that there's still going to be good times ahead for them! Hope you enjoyed! If this didn't make you sad then I'm not doing my job.  
**

**Please Review!**

**Kat**


	36. Chapter 36

Loralei knew she was going to have a bad day. She knew it from the moment she woke up in her Dormitory that morning. What she didn't know though, was that it would happen in the middle of Potion's class.

"I need James and Loralei Potter, and Sirius Black." A Prefect announced.

Loralei's blood went cold, and she automatically knew what was next. The hospital.

They walked hand-in-hand to the Headmaster's office. Loralei in the middle of the two boys.

"We can't cry, at least not too much." Loralei told them. "We say what we can, that we love her, and we will miss her."

"I think I can agree to that." Sirius said, his face pale.

"Yeah, me too." James said, his eyes looking too big for his face. "I don't know if I can do this."

"We have to, it's her last wish." Loralei told him.

"I don't know if I can either." Sirius told her quietly, his voice barely reaching a whisper.

"All you guys have to do is sit there, I'll hold her hand." Loralei told them. Trying not to break down in tears just yet, she looked up and blinked the tears away.

For being the least messed with people in the school, they looked pretty scared, and pretty young right now. None of them were ready for losing their mother, or the closest thing they had to one. No one ever is.

When they saw Cordelia Potter, she looked frail, her cheeks were sunken in, and she looked like it was getting harder to breathe. One hand of her's was in Charles' and the other was lying on the bed beside her. Loralei nodded to her father in greeting, and he nodded back.

Loralei released the boys' hands, and went to her mother, and taking her mother's weak hand in her strong one, and squeezing gently. "Hey Mum." She sat on the bed beside her.

Her mother looked up. "James," she said as she saw him. Loralei didn't like what she heard, Cordelia's voice was soft, raspy and fragile.. "Sirius." Her line of sight fell on him. "Loralei," she finally said as she set eyes on her daughter. Loralei noticed her mother's eyes were filled with tears, it seems she wasn't as ready as she liked.

"Do you want anything?" Loralei asked.

"I want you all to know that I love you." Cordelia told them all, looking around the room.

"I love you too." They all echoed in unison, making her smile sadly, before turning to her daughter. "Can you sing for me?"

Loralei smiled sadly. "You know I can't sing."

"You don't think you can." She corrected quietly. "Now, indulge a dying woman."

Loralei nodded, and licked her lips. "I can't think of any lyrics."

"I'll give you a moment." Cordelia whispered.

Loralei picked up her mother's hand and pressed it to her lips, before she pulled away and sighed before starting to sing.

"Beth I hear you calling, but I can't come home right now." Her voice was soft and sweet, ringing loudly in the once-quiet room. "Me and the boys are playing, and we just can't find the sound." She drew out the word, holding the note before going up one, and back down to the original one she started on.

"Just a few more hours, and I'll be right home to you." She whispered the last word, as her mother's heartbeat began to get weaker, she heard it in the beeping from her heart monitor. Loralei's stomach began to hurt, and she felt sick, but she didn't show any signs. "I think I hear them calling. Oh, Beth what can I do? Beth what can I do?"

Loralei drew in a breath. "You say you feel so empty, that our house just ain't our home. I'm always somewhere else, and you're always here alone." Loralei's voice became louder, like she was scared her mother couldn't hear her. "Just a few more hours, and I'll be right home to you. I think I hear them calling. Oh Beth what can I do? Beth what can I do?"

Her mother's grip on her hand was weaker than ever, and Loralei only gripped harder, with so much force she probably was breaking her mother's hand. "Beth I know you're lonely, and I hope you'll be all right, 'cause me and the boys will be playing all night." The last line was more a sob than a verse in a song.

"Mum?" Loralei shook her mother's arm.

No answer. Loralei knew she was gone, but it hadn't sunk in yet.

"Mum, wake up." She began to shake Cordelia's shoulders. "Please wake up." Her voice was showing how she truly felt; broken, alone, and miserable.

Loralei got on her knees on the bed, sinking into the mattress. "Wake up, Mum." She begged, while the men around her just watched, until her father spoke.

"She's gone, Loralei." He said quietly. "She's...gone."

Loralei couldn't accept that yet. She couldn't.

"Mum." Loralei cried, before putting her hands on her mother's cheeks and stroking them. "Wake up, please."

No reply.

Tears streaked down Loralei's cheeks, and Loralei closed her eyes. "I love you." Loralei's kissed her mother's forehead.

She felt a warm hand on her shoulder and looked to see her father, they looked at each other a moment before leaning over the body between them, and embraced.

After all that's all that was between them.

An empty shell. An empty body.

"She planned her funeral." Loralei told Peter, Remus and Lily, who were both in her bedroom, along with James and Sirius, but they had already known. They sat around her room, Lily was laying next to Loralei, her arm around Loralei's back, holding her.

Loralei hadn't felt like she could breathe since she sang to her mother as she died a little over one day ago. Because of the funeral the next day, Remus, Peter, and Lily all got Friday off to be there for their friends. Loralei was happy that she at least had them to keep her from going insane.

Everything was solemn in the room, no one spoke over a whisper, and no one knew what to say. Their father had locked himself in his room, as far as they knew he didn't eat, he was just mourning his wife as his introverted personality allowed him to; alone.

"She didn't want anyone else to be stressed planning it." James added, staring blankly from his spot, sitting against the wall, hugging a pillow to his chest.

"She even wrote us all letters." Loralei told them, as James pulled his out of his pocket, crumbled and unopened.

"Have you read it?" Lily asked carefully, looking from James to Loralei.

"No," Sirius answered, quietly. "I got one too."

"We were going to open them together." James said, his voice barely above a whisper.

"But we were too tired." Loralei added.

"And it wasn't time yet." Sirius told them.

"She told us to wait until we were happy." James told them.

"I think I'm going to open it at coping." Loralei muttered.

The three nodded, as the others stayed quiet, not knowing what to say. The other three didn't know what to say either, so they fell into silence.

Loralei walked slowly though the house, only in her T-shirt that she slept in. When she made it to the place she was looking for, she was surprised to see the light coming out from under the door.

She knocked on her brother's door, and opened it herself, to see two boys sitting there with a half empty bottle of Firewhiskey.

"Where are the other's?" Loralei asked, leaning against the doorway.

"They're asleep downstairs, what about Lily?" James replied.

"Been passed out for a half hour." Loralei told them, closing the door before going towards her brother's bed, and sitting down before holding her hand out for Sirius to give her the bottle. "Mind sharing?"

Sirius shrugged, giving her the bottle of amber liquid.

Loralei took a deep breath, before holding the opening of the bottle to her lips, and turning it upside down, and chugging until she gagged, releasing the bottle to her brother.

"Pace yourself." James told her.

"I just want to feel numb, James." She told him, her voice desperate.

He passed her the bottle. "Drink up then."

**Please Review!**


	37. Chapter 37

Loralei stood in front of the mirror in her bathroom. She wore a black dress that went to her knees, a hat on the top of her head, with black lace going down her face, and hugging her chin, her hair was pulled back in a bun on the nape of her neck. The only color she wore besides black was red lipstick. Even if she didn't want to, she had to look good, it was a part of being a Potter.

There was a folded piece of paper in her hands. A eulogy. James helped her write it, but she was the one that was going to have to read it, even if James was going to be standing beside her.

She didn't notice Lily come into the bathroom until her hand appeared on her shoulder.

"There's a car out front." Lily told her softly.

Loralei nodded. "Where is my father?"

"James has him downstairs." Lily whispered. "It's all taken care of."

Loralei turned her head towards her. "Except me, I'm supposed to be downstairs, aren't I?" She said this in a soft monotone.

Lily nodded. "Yes."

Loralei rubbed her lips together and nodded. "Okay, let's go."

Lily took Loralei's hand and squeezed it. "It's going to be okay." She promised.

Loralei squeezed Lily's hand back. "It has to be."

Lily nodded. "I'm not going to say that I know what you're going through, I don't, but if there's anything you need me to do, I'll do it."

The corners of Loralei's lips turned up a bit before she pulled her best friend into a hug. "I love you, Lil."

"Me too, Lore." Lily whispered. "Me too."

Loralei released her friend, but linked their arms, before walking out, and going down the the front yard, where everyone else was waiting.

They got to the Potter's graveyard, the man from the Ministry arrived soon after them, then other families they knew. The Evans' were among them, and the only ones that Loralei really welcomed along with the Lupin's. The rest were people who's names she either hasn't cared to learn, or didn't care to remember.

When the service started, and the man from the ministry started talking, Loralei didn't listen. She couldn't. It took James' shaking of her shoulder to get her to stand when she had to.

They walked to the front of the crowd, Loralei grabbing the piece of paper she and James had written in one of the hidden pockets of her dress.

When Loralei's looked up she saw a sea of black, maybe with a bit of another color from their hair or skin.

Loralei cleared her throat, before beginning to speak. "Thank you for coming. My brother and I flipped a coin for who would speak today, guess who lost." She said, trying to smile as a quiet laugh came from the crowd, looking down at the crumpled paper, smoothing it with her hands. "Cordelia Potter is-was our mother." Loralei almost choked on those words. How did James talk her into this?

"She was loved, and she knew that, and she was prepared to die, but sadly we weren't." She wiped a tear out of her right eye. "She did what she could, she created, and contributed to charities, too many to count, but I'm sure many of you know this." Loralei smiled a bit. "Her name will be remembered, and her memory cherished. She was loved, and will be for the rest of our existence."

"I'm not going to say she was perfect, she never wanted to be. She was her, she made mistakes, and she got through them, she had a happy life, and I think her only regret was not seeing James and I grow up." Her voice caught on the last word, and James took her hand, before continuing for her, since he knew that she couldn't go on.

"She knew we would be all right though, she made sure of that. She brought us up to be strong, and I don't think either of us know how not to be. We will miss her more than anything, and we thank you for coming to cherish her today with us. Thank you."

"She will be missed."

"My condolences."

"Everything will be okay."

"It's going to be all right."

"If you need anything..."

These were all the things that the Potter's heard that day. The reporters that tried to get close enough to get a photograph of the grieving family were forced to leave by the Aurors that were there as guests, as well as the few that were there to protect the family.

From the funeral, only the Lupin's and the Evans' went to the Potter's house. The teenagers went to the common room, all were quiet, but to Loralei's surprise Lily went to sit with James on the loveseat, not that Loralei could hear them talking, but they looked like they were having a decent conversation.

Afternoon slowly turned to night as the sun set in the window behind James and Lily. The dim light in the large room coming from three lamps on three separate tables.

"They seem to be getting along." Remus muttered to Loralei, who he was sitting beside on the couch, Sirius on the other side. Peter was taken home by his parents after the funeral, the mousey family were among the first to leave.

"I think she's starting to see him as more than the prat he usually is around her." Loralei said, watching how her brother looked at Lily. Even though his mother just died, he still looked at her like she was the light of the world.

"Do you want anything?" Remus asked her as he stood up. "I'm going to get some water."

"Water too, please." Loralei said, looking up at him, before returning her eyes to watch her best friend and James.

"Why are you staring at them?" Sirius asked.

"It's nothing." Loralei told him, looking away from the two across the room.

"Tell me." Sirius said. "Please?"

Loralei nodded to the other two. "Look at them."

"What about them?" Sirius asked.

"His mother just died, and we just buried her, and he still looks at her like that." Loralei swallowed, refusing to cry again. "No one has ever looked at me like that."

"Because you're never looking at them when they do."

Loralei looked at Sirius, a small smile on her lips. "Then how can anyone really see that they're really loved. Lily will die with James on her hook, and maybe if he's lucky, he will die with her on his."

"We both know they're going to end up together." Sirius told her.

Loralei nodded. "She's looking at him with more than pity if you get what I'm saying."

"She loves him, doesn't she?" Sirius asked.

"Don't tell him. He might ask her out again and ruin it." Loralei told him. "Let it just play out, you'll see, they'll be together by the end of the year."

"Are you so sure?" Sirius asked.

Loralei threw him a look. "Yes, I am."

"What about your relationships?" Sirius asked, looking her straight in the eye.

Loralei didn't look away, but smirked. "Nothing ever goes the way I think it will." She took his hand. "When I leave...follow me." She whispered.

She let go of his hand as Remus entered the room again, and he couldn't ask why, he knew that.

She thanked Remus as he handed her the water he asked for, and said she was off to bed, though it wasn't late yet. She hugged and kissed Remus's cheek, before hugging Sirius, and waving to her brother and Lily.

Sirius waited a few minutes, before following Loralei, wondering what she was up to. He went to her room, guessing that's where she would be, he was right.

He knocked on the door twice before opening it. "Loralei?" He stepped into the room.

Loralei was sitting on the bed, but jumped to her feet when she saw him, and took the few steps over to him.

"What do you-" She cut him off by kissing him, pushing him against the open door and closing it with a thud.

**A/N Sorry I didn't update yesterday, but I got really sick and I haven't been able to look at a screen until today. I promise it will be updated this Friday, on time!**

**Kat**


	38. Chapter 38

**A/N: I'm a tease I'm so sorry! But they're not getting back so easily! Her mother just died, and I know I wouldn't be okay! I am going to try to make it a bit happier though, I promise!**

**Please review!**

**Kat**

Sirius pushed her away as she started to undo the buttons on his shirt.

"What?"

"I know you've done this before." Loralei said, looking up at him with half annoyed half confused eyes. "Just go along with it." She kissed him again, and he kissed her back for a second, before shaking his head as he pushed her back again.

"I can't do this, Loralei, we can't do this." Sirius told her. "Your mother just died."

She pushed her body right up against his. "Then comfort me." She tried to kiss him again, but he moved his head so she hit his jaw.

He pushed her away again, this time keeping his hands on her shoulders an arm's length away. "This isn't right, Loralei." He bent down so they were eye to eye. "You're worth more than this."

She looked at him with tired exasperation. "When are you going to see I'm not? Come on, I know you still love me, you still want me. Why else would you still be hanging around me?"

"Yeah, you bet I do love you, and I know you're going to regret it in the morning." Sirius told her, not letting her know how much he actually wanted to sleep with her. "You're grieving, and I'm here for you, but not like that."

"So, you're rejecting me now?" Loralei asked, looking at him like he was from another planet. "Do you want to know how many guys who would love to be in your place?"

"Yeah, but I wouldn't let any one of them near you. Neither would James or Remus. When you can think again you can make your own choices, but right now, you can't think."

Her eyes looked glassy as he said this, like she was about to cry. He pulled her into a hug and let her cry, resting his chin on the top of her head.

"Yeah, I love you." He whispered. "But that doesn't mean I'm going to fuck you."

"Are you sure you don't want us to stay a bit longer?" Loralei asked her father, as they stood in front of the fireplace. Sirius along with all the others returned to school the morning before, but the Potter's decided to stay a day longer with Dumbledore's permission.

"We can stay as long as you want." James said. "Screw school."

"'Screw school'?" Their father said. "No, you need to go back and study hard, it's what Cordelia would have wanted."

Loralei and James nodded.

"If you need us, we can come home any time." Loralei told her father.

"I'll be fine." Charles told them, hugging them both. "Now go, I have to go work, and you already missed your first classes."

"Write me." Loralei told him. "We can make Christmas plans for this year."

Charles Potter nodded. "Yes, of course."

James was the first to go through the fireplace, Loralei followed after kissing her father's cheek.

"I'm not saying I saw it, like last time." Loralei told James as she stepped into Professor McGonagall's office, brushing off the soot. "But Dad's dying of a broken heart."

"I believe you." James told her. "I'm sorry for being such an ass to you since last summer."

Loralei shrugged. "It doesn't matter."

"Yeah it does." James told her. "I don't want to die with you thinking I hate you."

"You're not going to die." Loralei told him. "I'm not going to let you. You're going to live until you're a hundred, and breed a whole bunch of Potters with Lily."

James laughed. "I plan on it."

"Good," Loralei smiled. "Is there a class going on out there?"

James pressed his ear to the door. "I don't hear anything."

Loralei nodded. "Let's go then."

James opened the door, and they walked out into the classroom, of first years taking a test. James and Loralei's faces both were both like they were caught with their hand in a cookie jar.

"Mr. and Miss Potter, welcome back to the castle, do you mind following me a moment?" Professor McGonagall asked, standing up from her desk and leading them out. "I will know if you cheat." She warned her class, before leaving with the two Potters, and stopping outside the door, and sighing. "I'd like to tell you how sincerely sorry I am about your mother. We were in school together, and I'm sorry I couldn't make it to the funeral."

"Thank you." Loralei told her, sincerely.

"Yes, thank you." James agreed.

"But since you missed your first classes, you both have Muggle Studies in a half hour, you can do what you like until then." She told them.

"Thank you." The Potter's said together.

Professor McGonagall nodded, before going back inside her classroom.

"Looks like everything's back to normal, huh?" Loralei asked, turning to her brother.

"Well, let's act like it at least."

Sirius and Loralei didn't talk much after she tried to sleep with him after the funeral, so naturally, when they were seated next to each other in Muggle Studies, it was uncomfortable, and the only note Loralei could bring herself to write to him was four words.

_We need to talk._

He agreed, though. He admitted that he still loved her, and he wasn't going to push for more, who would do that right after a beloved parent died? It was just bad manners, let alone anything else.

They decided to take a trip to the Come and Go Room for a good long chat, with their free period they had next, deciding that the awkwardness needed to go away before anyone else could figure out the awkwardness was there.

So they stood in an empty room-somehow that's what Loralei's mind came up with-and looked at each other for a while, before Loralei sighed.

"I don't know how to do this, do you?" She asked.

He shook his head.

Loralei started laughing, like it was relieving the tension in her body. "I'm sorry I tried to stick my tongue down your throat and get you naked, but I'm sure it's not your first time."

Sirius started laughing too. "If it was different, I'd love for you to do that again."

Loralei smiled. "You said you still loved me."

"Yeah, well, I do." He looked away from her to the floor.

"I think I'm always going to love you." Loralei confessed. "I also know that how we ended last year was the worst way possible, and neither of us really knew where we stood at the time, and we both learned."

"Yeah," he agreed, nodding. "I didn't mean to cheat on you."

"I know." Loralei told him. "But I also know that if we are going to get back together it shouldn't be now, and I think we should start over. Like, dating a bit, then become official, and-is that okay?" She noticed he was looking at her with the biggest eyes she had ever seen on him.

"It's great." He told her. "Just tell me when you're ready."

"I think that the moment I open my letter from my mother I'll be ready to try us again." She told him, the corners of her lips turning into a smile.

"What changed your mind?" He asked.

"You've been a big help through this whole ordeal." Loralei told him. "You've grown up."

"Just like you have. I don't think any of us really wanted to though." Sirius replied.

"No one does." Loralei said, simply. "But it's the wonderful part of being a teenager." Sarcasm leaked into her voice.

"Oh, yes, the wonderful part." Sirius rolled his eyes.

Loralei paused "I missed kissing you."

"Well you can kiss me any time you want." Sirius told her. "No strings attached."

"Seal this with a kiss then?" She asked, raising her eyebrows.

"Yeah," he started walking towards her, and she started walking towards him.

In the center of the empty room, their lips met.


	39. Chapter 39

_Dear Miss Potter,_

_We would like to ask you to do a spread in Witch Weekly. You can design your own clothes that we will make for you. If you agree we will pay you one thousand galleons, and we will work with you around your school schedule. We also would like to have an interview to go along with the photos, and you may choose what questions you are willing to answer. We know how you value your privacy._

_We sincerely hope you consider this, please let us know by December 10th._

_Hoping to hear from you soon,_

_Alina Webber_

_Witch Weekly Editor_

Loralei nodded as she read this. Witch Weekly never did an article on her before, at least not without permission. They were willing to let her wear what she wants, and let her choose what questions she liked. It seemed like a good idea to her. She grabbed a quill and wrote her reply, letting them know of her interest, and sent it off.

It would cheer her up a bit, to do something besides her tedious homework, this could give her something to do, and a substantial amount of money that she made for herself. Granted they sought her out, but how can she help being who she is? She had already been written about for wearing the newest, most wanted designers, and having a few of her own designs her parents had made for presents.

Maybe she could be a designer, you know, since her other job fell through the cracks a few months ago. Or she could be like most other teenagers with the money coming her way and do nothing.

No, that didn't really sound like her.

"What's up?" Lily asked as she came to sit by Loralei at breakfast.

"I'm asked to be interviewed and do a spread for Witch Weekly." Loralei told her. "So polite of them to ask. The Prophet usually does it without so much as a notice. It's nice to have someone to give permission to."

Lily smiled. "Well they're polite."

"I know right?" Loralei laughed. "I'm hoping that she's telling the truth when she says that I get to choose my own clothes."

"Really?" Lily asked. "That's like a dream come true for you."

"I know. Enough with the designers, I get to be the designer." Loralei grinned. "It is a dream come true."

"Things might be going your way now." Lily told her.

"I'm not going to count my chickens." Loralei told her. "But maybe the next year will be better."

"After this one? You bet." Loralei laughed. "Maybe Mum's doing this." Loralei looked up, as if expecting to see the gates of heaven with her mother standing there, but she just saw the sky on the ceiling of the great hall.

"I bet she is." Lily told her. "In some way." Lily paused. "Have you opened the letter yet?"

Loralei shook her head. "I'm scared to."

"Why?" Asked Lily, confused.

"Because when i do, then there's no part of her I can see anymore. Nothing more she can say to me." Loralei told her, her smile fading. "You know? It's just kind of scary." Loralei didn't look like she was about to cry. She had run out of tears a while ago.

"Yeah, I get it." Lily said. "I'm here if you need me, you know that right?"

Loralei nodded. "Yeah, I know. You've always been there for me." Her smile returned. "Besties for life, right?"

Lily nodded once, her smile returning as well. "Besties for life."

Loralei stared at the envelope. She wanted to open it so badly, but then her mother would really be gone. She was just too curious for her own good. She would also mean getting back together with Sirius, or at least it would eventuality happen. It was eventually going to happen. She knew it, she always knew it, but she didn't feel like acknowledging it until recently.

She picked up the envelope before throwing it back down again on the bed in front of her. She pouted before grabbing it again, ripping the edge, before putting it back carefully.

"You can do this Loralei." She muttered, picking it again and taking a deep breath. "One, two, three." She ripped the side she started on earlier. It was easier than she thought it would be, and she let out the breath.

She turned it on its side, and a wedding ring fell out, along with a letter. She knew this was her mother's wedding ring since the name "Potter" was engraved on the inside, and it fit on her finger perfectly. She wondered why her engagement ring wasn't in there if she was getting her wedding ring.

She took the letter, and opened it.

_Loralei,_

_I know you're getting back together with Sirius, we had a nice talk about an hour ago while you were getting us decent food from anywhere but the cafeteria. He still loves you, and I can tell you love him too. He didn't mean to cheat on you, but you know that._

_Indulge a dead woman, and just get back together with him soon. Life is short, and war is here. Have fun before you're out of school because otherwise you're not going to have much fun until this war's over. That is my last wish for you. _

_I'm sorry this is short, but if I keep writing I'll never be able to stop._

_Love,_

_Mom_

Loralei wasn't crying, though tears were in her eyes. She still had her mother's wedding ring on her finger, and went to find Sirius in the common room.

Sirius waved at her when he saw her standing at the entrance to the girls' stairs.

She held up her open letter, and waved him over.

His face went blank, but in less than three seconds he was in front of her. "Is that what I think it is?"

She nodded, before getting on her toes and kissing him.

Neither really cared that no one had heard of them getting back together, nor did they care that the whole common room could see.

They were together again, and this time they wouldn't screw it up.

**Please Review!**


	40. Chapter 40

Christmas break started next week, and Loralei knew when she woke up that morning that something was wrong. So when she and James were called to Dumbledore's office she already knew what happened.

"Dad's dead, isn't he?" Loralei asked as she walked in.

Dumbledore nodded. "He already planned his funeral. Only you two are supposed to be there, along with whoever else you want."

Loralei nodded. "I assumed."

"He decided to be cremated, and he would like for you too to put him in the same grave as his wife." Dumbledore told him. "He also has a message for you."

The Potter's waited for Dumbledore to say something, but he didn't.

"What is it?" James finally prompted.

"He loves you both, and he saved this for James." Dumbledore held out a gold ring. Their father's wedding ring.

"I have Mom's." Loralei took a long gold chain out from under her shirt, where the gold ring was hanging. "Do you know where her engagement ring went?" Loralei asked Dumbledore.

He shook his head. "No, but I do know that James will be seventeen in March, and that he will be in charge of both of you until you are seventeen, and you will be given your inheritance."

Loralei nodded. "Well at least he's with Mom now." Somehow it was easier losing her second parent, rather than the first. "We can get Sirius to apparate us to the cemetery this weekend, and we can go to the house."

James nodded. "That sounds fine." He looked to Dumbledore. "Where are his ashes?"

Everything was very unemotional, and robotic. Like they just wanted to get this done and deal with the emotional part later. They also were used to their idea of their father being gone. He wasn't really fully there since their mother died, and James knew when Loralei said that their father was going to die soon that it was true. It was sad, but their father was already gone while he was still alive.

Dumbledore told them, and they left, telling him that they would be leaving right after the tests with Sirius. He agreed, and gave his condolences.

After they left the office, Loralei turned to James.

"Looks like it's just us now." She sighed, crossing her arms.

James nodded, slipping their father's wedding ring on his finger. "You better go find your boyfriend and tell him."

"Where are you going?" Loralei asked.

"I'm going to talk to Lily." James told her. "She's nice to talk to about stuff like this, plus we were going to study in the library."

Loralei nodded, happy that her best friend and her brother were getting along. "And, he's not my boyfriend yet."

"Yeah, well you might as well be. You traumatized the firsties when you thought you were alone."

"Not my fault, everyone was supposed to be in class." Loralei pouted, before turning to talk away.

"Lore?" He called after her.

"Yes?" She turned around, and faced him again.

"I'm really sorry about everything I said to you last summer, you know that, right?" He said this so sincerely, no one, not even Severus Snape could say he didn't mean it.

She smiled slightly, the corners of her lips turning up a bit. "Getting called a whore everyday by you did put a damper on our relationship."

"Sirius and Remus were right to make stop." He told her. "But I never apologized for saying it. Family's supposed to stick together, right?"

Loralei nodded. "I forgive you."

He smiled slightly. "Thank you."

"Now, go get your princess charming." She told him. "She likes when people are on time."

"I know." He nodded. "Do you really think she likes me?"

"Now that you're not a prick, yes." Loralei told him. "This Christmas, lets invite the guys and Lily over, then it won't be so empty. Like on boxing day through the end of holiday."

James nodded. "Good idea, let's do that."

"I have a meeting with Witch Weekly two days before Christmas Eve." She told him. "Other than that I'm free."

James nodded. "We can talk about it later, okay?"

Loralei nodded. "Yeah, just tell me what we're going to do. The house elves are probably getting the house ready for Christmas right now."

James nodded again. "I wonder what it's going to be like at home without them."

"It's never going to be the same." She told him. "I'll tell you that."

"I know."

"So he's dead?" Sirius asked. "Just like that?"

They were alone in the common room, both of them had off periods since Divination was canceled, and Loralei was curled up on Sirius' lap.

"Just like that." Loralei replied simply. "James and I are supposed to bury his ashes in our mother's grave, and we were wondering if you'd go with us."

"Because you want me there, or because you need a way to get there?" He asked.

"Both." Loralei told him, honestly. "I think dad would've liked you to be there anyway."

Sirius nodded. "Yeah, of course. Anything you want."

"Thank you, love." She turned her head and kissed him lightly. "It's amazing that we are now both parentless, it's only been six months."

"Yeah, but mine are monsters and I chose to leave them." Sirius' arms tightened around her. "Yours were great."

"That's true, but we're really on our own now." Loralei told him. "I mean, we still have the house, and money, but we're taking care of ourselves now."

"We'll make it." He promised.

"I know." Loralei nodded. "It's just going to be so different. I don't know if I'm going to like it."

"Life sucks," He started.

"Then you die." Loralei continued.

"You know we're an annoying couple when we finish each other's sentences." Sirius smiled.

Loralei smiled. "I think I'm going to be okay with that."

"Good, because I am too." He kissed her cheek.

"What do we do now?" James asked as they stood in front of their mother's grave. It was still so new that the grass hadn't even grown over it yet. It had been two months, and they were already moving on. Was that too soon, or were they just forced to move that quickly? To them, it felt like the latter.

Loralei had a shovel resting on her shoulder. "Well if we put his ashes here, they're just going to blow into the wind." She stepped on her mother's grave. "We dig." She swung the shovel down, digging it into the ground. "Why the hell else would I bring a shovel?"

"So you're just going to dig?" Sirius asked. "It's snowing."

"Yeah, well it makes me feel better."

"I can do it with magic." Sirius told her. "You don't have to."

"I want to." She told him.

So the boys let her. They let her slowly shed off her jacket and scarf, and letting the snow get her hair and jumper wet. She couldn't feel anything anyway. She couldn't feel the blisters on her hands, or the biting feeling she got when the wind picked up.

She dug a line down the center of the grave, and she stood back for James to pour it into the earth.

"Should we say something?" Sirius asked as James put his father into the ground.

Only the rustle of the wind through the trees was heard.

"I don't know what to say." Loralei said. "Thanks for dying Dad, you left me a fortune!" Sarcasm leaked into her voice. She shook her head. "You died three months after Mum, Dad. Great timing."

"You said yourself he died of a broken heart." James muttered.

"Yeah, well what about ours?" Loralei replied angrily. "If you had a kid, and the mother died in childbirth, would you die too, or take care of the kid?"

"Take care of the kid." James said.

"Then congratulations, you're braver than our father." She told him.

"There's a difference between a little baby and a teenager, Lore." James argued.

"Yeah, babies can admit they need help, we're expected to take care of ourselves." Loralei started filling back in the dirt.

"Because we can." James told her.

She dug the shovel into the ground and leaned on it. "If you can, then good for you, I however don't want to. I'm sixteen for another eight months, and I intended to keep my childhood for that time. Who's going to protect us now? I doubt if a Death Eater comes to our house that you could be able to fight him off James, we don't have that much dueling experience under our belt."

"Then maybe we should." Sirius spoke up, making the siblings look up to him.

"Pardon?" James asked.

"Maybe we should be better fighters." Sirius told them. "Train the students to become fighters, or at least give them the choice to. We could invite other students wanting to become aurors, or that are definitely on the right side. We can practice with each other. Think about it, after a year and a half of training we could get pretty good."

Loralei and James looked at each other, the argument completely forgotten.

"Lily, Remus, Peter, Alice and Frank." James listed. "At least those."

"Melanie." Loralei added. "We could get a good group, teach spells, and get everyone trained so that they can at least protect themselves."

"Get Dumbledore to let us use some classroom for it." Sirius added.

"Why not just the Room of Requirement?" James asked.

"Because then everyone knows about it." Loralei told him. "It's not just ours to use anymore, and of everything we have, I still love that hideaway."

James nodded. "Agreed."

"Do you really think we can do this?" Loralei asked.

Sirius looked up, it had stopped snowing. "Positive."

**Please review!**


	41. Chapter 41

Christmas vacation for the three teenagers was quiet. No one could come over until after Christmas, so they were alone most of it. If it wasn't for the house elves they probably wouldn't really be eating anything special on Christmas. The house elves seemed to know without any of the three teenagers telling them that they needed to have as normal a Christmas as possible. However that may happen.

When the doorbell rang the three teenagers who were all laying on a different piece of furniture, looked at each other.

"Lily's not supposed to get here until boxing day." Loralei told them.

"Same with Moony." Sirius added

"Maybe Peter changed his mind about not coming." James said uncertainly.

"Who's going to get it?" Sirius asked.

The two Potters looked at each other, then at him. Loralei had to sit up and turn around to do so.

"You're the one with magic, mate." James told him.

Sirius stretched, before standing up. "Fine, but I'm taking the girl with me."

"If someone didn't have clearance the alarms would have gone off when he was a hundred yards from the house." Loralei told them. "You should know this."

"That's good then." Sirius picked Loralei up bridal style. "Then I don't have to worry about you getting killed."

Loralei yelped when he picked her up. "Put me down, I can walk." She put her hands on his shoulders so she could catch herself if he dropped her.

"I like it more this way better." He told her, walking through the house to get to the front door.

She pursed her lips. "At least you didn't throw me over your shoulder."

"I'll do that next time." He promised.

"Will you at least put me down before you open the door?" She asked.

"Nope."

She rolled her eyes before bringing her right leg up-he was holding her left-and bringing it down, making him drop her legs, and she landed in almost a cat-like way on her feet.

"Thank you, love." She smiled, placing a kiss on his cheek before she kept walking towards the door.

"That hurt." He told her, rubbing his arm as he followed her to the door.

"Well, you forced me to." She shrugged, taking his wrist, and leaning down to kiss his forearm. "Better?"

"Oh yes! Your kisses are magic." He replied. "They will save the world from illness and injury."

"Oh, you know it." She replied as they got to the door. She turned the key in the heavy wood door, and opened it.

Before her stood a tall man with shaggy ginger hair, and brown eyes. She hadn't seen him since August.

"Hi," she said, her face going blank.

"I heard about your dad." Fabian said, his hands shoved into his pockets. "And your mum." He didn't see Sirius who was standing against the wall to the side. Sirius didn't know whether he should leave them alone, or make his presence known.

"Well it's been all over the Prophet for the last month or two." Loralei said quietly.

"I've been on a mission since September, I just got back." He told her. "I would've come to the funeral, but I didn't know."

"It's okay," she told him. "It was small anyway."

"I just wanted to see if you were okay." He told her.

"I saw it coming." Loralei told him.

"Literally?"

"For my mother, I knew my dad was going to go next. I don't care how they say he died. He died from a broken heart." She told him honestly, but kept her voice in a monotone.

"Can I do anything?" He asked.

She shook her head. "Do you want to come in? Why aren't you with your family? Isn't it Christmas?"

"I was on my way when I convinced myself to come see you." Fabian told her, stepping inside the threshold. "I can only stay a minute, Molly will kill me if I'm late."

Loralei smiled. "Yeah, she definitely would, I don't care that you're an auror, she could take you."

He smiled as he nodded, before seeing Sirius standing against the wall. "Black."

"Prewett," he nodded.

"Welcome to the island of misfit toys." Loralei told him. "Where the outcasts and the orphans reign."

"I see," he said.

"He's the only one of age in the house." Loralei rambled, scared of letting an awkward silence take control over the situation. "Remmy and Lily are coming over tomorrow afternoon."

"Isn't that like every year?" Fabian asked.

"Yeah, I think we're trying to convince ourselves we're going back into normality." Loralei told him.

"Good luck." Fabian told her.

"After this year, we better have some." Loralei replied. "So, how are you?"

"I'm all right. Sometimes I wonder why I became an auror, the hours are as bad as a healer." He told her, joking at the end. "It's nice to make a difference though."

Loralei smiled. "That's good to hear."

Fabian looked at the pocket watch he got for his seventeenth birthday, it was already pretty banged up. "I better get going. Happy Christmas, Lei."

"You too, Fab." She told him, opening the door again, so he could leave. After he took two steps he turned back around. "If you ever need anything, just send an owl my way, okay?"

Loralei nodded and smiled. "I will, thank you."

He returned her smile, and nodded. "See you around, Lei."

"Bye, Fab." Loralei closed the door.

Sirius looked at her blankly.

"What?" Loralei asked.

"Why'd he just drop in?"

"You heard what I did." Loralei told him.

"I don't like that he still comes around." Sirius told her.

"Why? He was just seeing if we were okay." Loralei told him.

"No, he was seeing if you were okay." Sirius corrected. "He didn't care if anyone else was."

"Can you really blame him after last summer?" Loralei replied, she said this as if it were obvious, not accusingly. "You guys did kind of treat him like shit."

"I don't like him coming over." Sirius told her.

"He's been a big thing in my life since I was fourteen, he knows me really well, and he just wanted to make sure I was okay. What's wrong with that?" Loralei asked.

"You slept with him last summer."

"History, baggage, I know you have it too." Loralei told him, almost smiling. "Now stop being jealous."

"You didn't tell him we were together again."

"Did it seem to fit in with the conversation?" Loralei asked. "It didn't to me." She walked up to him and kissed him lightly. "Come on, this isn't a big deal, I doubt we'll see him again."

He sighed. "You're right, I'm sorry."

"It's okay." Loralei told him. "Come on. It's Christmas, let's go back and hang out with James."

He nodded. "Okay."

**Please review!**


	42. Chapter 42

**A/N: IMPORTANT! I will not be updating next Friday because I will be out for spring break at least until Saturday night. I will have no internet connection from Sunday on, so I'll update again two weeks from tonight.**

**Please Review! They really do help me write longer chapters. I know where I want this to end up, but I'm having a bit of trouble getting there.**

**Thanks if you read this, and enjoy the chapter!**

**Kat**

"So you want to start a defense group that is for people we know is against Voldemort?" Remus asked. "How can we tell the difference?"

"Because we know them, so lets say for instance, that Snape wanted to join,-sorry Lily-we tell him know." Sirius told him.

"It's fine, I'm over it." Lily told him.

"But we can't exactly do that if it's a school club." Remus told them. "It'd have to be something else."

"No, we're the founders, and we can test everyone to see if they can get in. Like quidditch, but we choose only non-Death Eater wannabes."

"That might work." Remus muttered. "Tryouts. Who would be in charge of it?"

"Loralei's good dealing with whiney brats." James told them. "She could be in charge, and then we could be there for crowd control."

Loralei frowned at her brother. "Thanks." She turned to everyone else. "That is true though, I've been doing it for two years, this can't be as bad as quidditch. We have private interviews, and tests. Anyone from second year up so they at least know a little magic."

"Then?"

"Then we separate them into groups by talent, and begin training. James is a decent dueler, and I'm sure we can talk dumbledore into getting some guest teacher come in, or maybe convince one of the teachers into helping us. Most of them like Remmy, Lily and I." Loralei went on. "Slughorn would do anything for Lily or I, best in class and all."

"I don't know though..." Remus said, still doubting their plan.

"I love it." Lily said, her voice very passionate. "This is perfect."

Loralei watched as her brother's face lit up as he heard this. Lily wanted to be a part of this, at least as much as he did. She wanted to fight too.

Loralei's heart broke a bit. She knew not all of them would make it through the war. It would be silly to think they would. The worst part was, she couldn't even pick the ones she wanted to stay alive the most, though she loved them in different ways, she loved them all equally. She would rather die than have any of the others die.

She pushed this thought out of her mind, if they learned how to fight, they would be more likely to survive. She had to hold onto that. She had to.

"We can do this." Loralei told them. "I think we can do this. We have a year and a half to get good at it."

"And even then, we'd still get together to practice." James added. "That is if we don't all end up living here through the training."

"No, we are definitely all living here." Sirius said. "There's enough space for all of us to have a wing on a different floor."

"Until some of us get married." James said.

Lily widened her eyes at the boy. "Excuse me?"

"I was talking about Sirius and Loralei over here." He backtracked quickly.

Loralei and Sirius looked at each other, before Loralei turned to her brother. "Maybe I'm not the marrying kind, James. I did just reject a guy last summer."

"Yeah, that's what you say, but I don't believe it." James replied.

"Okay, well back to the original topic..." Remus muttered.

"Yeah," Loralei said loudly, wanting to get off the subject. "I think we'll be able to do this, but I only want to do it if we're all in."

"What about Wormtail?" James asked.

"I don't really care for him, you know that."

"He's fancied you since second year." Remus told her.

"He's a suck-up. I don't like suck-ups." Loralei shrugged. "Either way, I'll welcome him into the group for you guys, but I don't think we're ever going to be really close."

"I can live with that." James said.

"Good."

"I can't believe vacation's over." Loralei told Sirius softly. They were laying on her bed, Loralei half on Sirius' chest. The radio was playing songs softly in the background. "I feel like we just got here."

"Because we did." He said, playing with her hair. "It's been three weeks."

"But usually I can't wait to leave." Loralei told him. "I want to get back to school. Now, I'm dreading getting back into homework, and classes."

"Well, for the first part, you and your mother usually would get into a fight about your hair or clothes. The second part, you don't sound like yourself, are you getting sick?" He was teasing at the end, poking her side.

She laughed quietly and squirmed as he poked her. "Yeah, I guess." She sighed. "Come on, though. I'm not liking school anymore, I just want to have a bit more free time, less homework, and a lot more sleep."

"Don't we all?" Sirius replied. "But you are taking more classes than me, and I'm trying to be an Auror."

"True," Loralei agreed. "But you know what you're going to be, I'm still undecided, and I like my options."

"What if some quidditch team scout comes to a game and decide they want you?" Sirius asked. "I know they had an eye on you in fourth year."

"Yeah, but my dad told them I wasn't interested until I was seventeen." Loralei's pout was in her voice as well as on her face. "Otherwise I would've gotten in when I turned sixteen."

"I never heard about this."

"It wasn't really spoken of after I lost the fight. It was the worst fight the family ever had." Loralei told him. "I guess James never talked about it because he didn't want to admit that I'm that much better than him."

"What team?"

"Holyhead Harpies." She told him proudly. "I just hope I can get the chance again."

"You will," he told her. "You've only gotten better."

She turned her hear around so she could look at him. "Are you saying that because you're my boyfriend, or because you mean it?"

"I mean it." He told her. "How could I not? You practice all the time."

She smirked, moving so their chests were pressed together. "Well at least you know I work hard."

He put his hand lightly on her neck, his thumb running along her jaw, before kissing her.

She pulled away. "I've been thinking..."

"Which is never good." He teased.

She shook her head, amused. "I want to sleep with you."

"Are you sure?" He wasn't joking anymore. "We can wait as long as you want."

"I know," she told him, biting her lip. "But, I want to." She kissed him.

He pulled away. "Your dad just died."

"I think we both know that I'm not too out of my mind like I was when Mum died." She replied.

"I just don't want to take advantage of you. You're worth more." He told her.

She moved so she was straddling him, and put her hands on his chest. "I want to sleep with you. You're of age, you can do the charm."

"You're sure?" He asked. "I'm not going to make you do something you don't want to do."

"No one can make me do something I don't want to do." She smirked. "Now kiss me."

"Bossy, bossy."

"You love it."


	43. Chapter 43

The Marauder group was back at Hogwarts, Loralei and Lily being one of them now, though their names wouldn't be added to the map since it was already created, but they were working together now. Loralei enjoyed her best friend getting closer to her brother. Maybe her vision would happen.

They sent a note to Dumbledore to meet him with their idea of a club they would create. Loralei was the best spokesperson for the job. She was passionate and knew how to get her point across, and was never good at taking no for an answer. She was insistent, and usually, with enough time, would get what she wanted.

They would meet with Dumbledore in a week, so they were getting their plan together. Loralei sat there with a sheet and paper, writing down points for her to hit.

"Make sure self defense is on it." James reminded her for the tenth time.

"Yeah, I know, I know." She muttered, underlining it on the paper as a major point. She grabbed her brother's wrist and looked at his watch. "We've been at this for an hour, and I still have an essay to write for tomorrow."

"I agree." Sirius told them. "We've been talking about this since we came up with it. I think she'll get our point across pretty damn well."

"Thank you, love." Loralei smiled. "Now, I'd really like to finish my essay before dinner."

"Our cue to leave." Remus stood up.

"Lils, can you help me with Potions homework?" James asked. "I don't really get the worksheet."

"Because you fell asleep when he was explaining it." She smiled amused. "Come on." They stood up and left.

"I'm going to go to the library." Peter said. He hadn't really spoken much during the meeting, and he made his escape at that moment.

"Are you going to send me away too?" He asked.

She smiled softly, she smile even reached her eyes when she looked at him. "As long as you let me finish before distracting me." She pulled out a book and a scroll out of her bag to write it.

Of course the "not distracting her" rule was broken after about five minutes. Honestly, Loralei thought that was a record for him. Her essay was half done, but the lips on her neck were distracting.

"Stop it." She didn't mean it, and he knew it. "You're traumatizing the firsties." That she did mean.

"Peter's in the library, Remus is flirting with some fifth year, and James is at the table over there with Lily. My dorm's free." He whispered in her ear.

"I'm almost done." She muttered before writing another line on the paper. "Come on, I got you to wait five minutes, can you just wait five more? Then I'm yours until tomorrow."

"Tempting...but you know I'm impatient." He replied.

"Everyone knows that, love." She told him, looking at a page in the book before adding another sentence to her paper. "Come on, you know I'm quick with these things, let me finish."

"I'll distract you." He threatened, poking her side.

She pushed his hands away from her. "Be nice!" She refused to look at him as she began writing again. "I swear, if you make my penmanship even worse than it already is, I will cut you." She didn't mean that, she never did.

"Do you really want to cut me?" He asked, his fingers tickling her sides.

"No, but I will if you don't let me finish." She told him, trying to push his fingers away with her arm. She was trying to keep a straight face, and she wasn't usually ticklish, but he was the only one that could make her ticklish.

"This quill is sharp." She warned, wiggling to keep him from touching her with his fingers. "Please, come on, stop being a child."

"Hey, I'm older than you, little girl." He replied, still trying to tickle her.

She kicked at him, trying to be careful enough since she was in a skirt.

"You're not supposed to distract me." She reminded him, as he pinned her legs with one arm, and she caught his other wrist with her left hand.

"But it's so much fun." He whined.

"Let me finish!" She whined back. "Five more minutes!"

"Fine." He pouted as he released her legs, and she released his wrist.

"Thank you." She told him.

Of course, this time he only lasted two.

"So, you see, Professor, this would teach all of us responsibility and teach everyone in the club self defense. Which is very good for after school." Loralei finished her speech.

Their headmaster was smiling. He was going to say yes, Loralei could feel that, but not without a few questions.

"How did you come up with this idea?" He asked her.

Loralei looked over her shoulder to where her boyfriend was sitting. "When James, Sirius and I were burying our father, Sirius came up with it. We just refined the idea together."

"What started the idea?" Dumbledore was fishing for an answer. Loralei knew it.

Loralei sighed, knowing it was best to say the truth. "I was yelling about having no one to protect us and not being able to protect ourselves, and Sirius wanted to change that. He thought we should be taught how to fight so we could protect ourselves when we leave Hogwarts."

"That is a very smart thing, but we already have a dueling club, which all of you enrolled in when you were in second year." Dumbledore mentioned.

"Yes, but we were never taught anything there, we have never had a steady defense teacher. We've had a different one every year, all of them even had different tactics to teaching as well. I know I've learned most of my spells from one of my old friends who's an auror, or my parents." Loralei told him. "All the dueling club was, was practicing what you already know. I want to teach and learn things I don't know."

"And what if you only teach?" Dumbledore asked.

"Then I hope I can save at least one person's life." Loralei told him. "I just want to make a difference."

"And I difference you will make." Dumbledore agreed, signing a slip of paper. "You have my permission to start this group." He held it out to her. "Good luck, you all."

"Thank you, Professor." Loralei smiled, taking the paper.

"But I do suggest your lessons start with the disarming spell." He told her. "That's a spell everyone should know."

Loralei nodded. "I will make it that, I promise, sir."

"Good. I hope it turns out to be all you hope it will be." He told them.

"Thank you, sir." Loralei smiled. "This means so much to us."

"You're all very welcome." He told them.

When the group of teenager left, they stood outside of the headmaster's office.

"We did it." Loralei grinned. "We can start this weekend."

"Anyone want to go sneak out to go celebrate?" James asked.

"That sounds like fun." Lily agreed. She'd never snuck out before.

"Lily's first night out." Loralei grinned, linking her arm with her friend's. "Let's go."

The six friends made their way down the hall, feeling on top of the world, ready for anything. Too bad they weren't.

**Please Review!**


	44. Chapter 44

Loralei had been busy all day, having people come in and answer a few questions before showing her what they could do to get into their defense program. Someone usually sat with her, just so she could have some company. She hadn't eaten anything since breakfast early that morning, and it was four in the afternoon.

Lily was sitting with her now, as some Hufflepuff walked in. She had black hair and olive skin, she sat in the chair in front of the two girls, but had a table between them.

"Name?" Loralei asked.

"Honor Feltig." She said. "Fifth year Hufflepuff."

Loralei nodded as she wrote down the name on one of the four lists. One for each house, though the Slytherin one was empty. "What defense have you been taught?"

"A few defensive spells, about dangerous creatures and how to stop them. Normal things fifth years know, I guess." She said.

Loralei nodded. "I can accept that." She folded her hands on the table in front of her. "Why do you want to join this group?"

Honor seemed surprised by the question. "Because my father is an Auror and he used to teach me things when he could. He died last summer in a raid."

Loralei nodded, understanding. "I know how that feels."

Honor nodded. "I know."

"What do you want your career to be?" Loralei asked.

"Auror, just like my dad." Honor said proudly, her back straightening.

Loralei smiled. "I'm sure he'd be proud. What's your blood status?"

"Half blood, my mom's a muggle." She told Loralei. "Does it matter?"

"No, just curiosity. You're sitting with a pureblood and a muggle born here." Loralei told her, smiling.

Honor nodded. "So, how will I know I'm in?"

"You already are. A note will appear under your pillow the night before the meeting." Loralei told her, putting a check next to her name.

"How many do you have so far?" Honor asked.

"Twenty-five." Loralei answered. "Most from the upper classes."

Honor nodded. "Are you teaching?"

"Among others." Loralei said, thinking about the letter she sent Fab earlier. "I'm hoping that I can get people that know certain things to teach, and we share our knowledge."

"Do you want me to write down what my dad taught me?" She asked, a smile spreading across her face.

Loralei smiled sweetly. "Well, since you mentioned it. Please bring it next meeting, or whenever you see me in the halls or something."

"Okay." She nodded.

"You can go, you're already in, sweetie." Loralei told her. "Can you send the next in? Bonus points if you look like I tore you to pieces."

"Thanks." Honor said, shaking her head happily before turning and walking out.

"Only twenty-five have come in?" Lily asked.

"No, I only let twenty-five in." Loralei replied. "Remus was here for when a Slytherin came in calling muggle born's mudbloods."

"Wow, what did you do?"

"Gave him an interview, and when he showed us what defensive and offensive spells, I told him he flunked."

"And?

"And I was called a few things I'd rather not repeat." Loralei told her, though a smile was on her face. "Mel was the first one in, and we just talked for about fifteen minutes before I let her out."

"Just to scare people?"

Loralei gave her a weird look, as if to say, "obviously."

Lily shook her head. "You're having too much fun with this."

"Duh. I like having fun in menial tasks everyone has decided I do best out of everyone." She said, sass in her tone.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Come on, when I walked in there was only ten in line."

"Well half of them were here earlier to see Remus, James and Sirius. They're going to be disappointed when it's the two of us in here." Loralei told her. "I swear, one of them was hitting on Sirius right in front of me."

"How did he handle that?"

"He put his arm around me." Loralei told her happily.

"No worries about what he did last time?"

Loralei shook her head. "I don't think so."

"I swear, one of us better be one of the head girls or boys next year." Loralei told them, it was a Friday night, and they were working on what they should do for lessons. They were all laying on their stomachs in a circle in front of the fire. It was pretty late, so almost everyone from third year and below were asleep in their beds.

"Why?" Peter asked.

"Because there's too many people around. If one of us is the head girl or boy, then they have their own quarters, and they will let us use it." Loralei told him, before turning to Lily. "It's down to you and Remus."

"No pressure or anything." Remus said sarcastically.

Loralei grinned. "Full pressure. Suck up to Dumbledore, you two."

Lily rolled her eyes. "Why do we have to?" She whined.

"Did you not listen to my reasons before?" Loralei asked, fake annoyance in her voice.

"No, I just tune your voice out when you go on for a while." Lily told her.

Loralei smacked her friend's shoulder. "I hate you."

"I hate you too."

"Bitch."

"Whore."

"Kidding, I love you." Loralei hugged her friend.

"I love you more." Lily hugged her back. "Don't leave me."

"I'll never leave you." Loralei promised.

Peter clapped his hands once. "Lesbians."

Everyone started laughing.

"Did you hear that Siri?" Loralei asked. "Lily's the girl for me." She hooked her leg around Lily's hip.

"But you love me." He pouted.

Loralei unhooked herself from Lily. "You know I do." She crawled forward to kiss him lightly as little balls of paper was thrown at their faces.

"My sister." James groaned as he face-palmed.

"Enough." Lily pulled the back of Loralei's shirt back.

Loralei didn't fight it, she just giggled in response. "What? My boyfriend's hot." She put on her ditzy voice.

"Get a room next time." James told her. "I don't need to see my sister making out with one of my best friends."

"How about two?" Loralei pulled Remus towards her, pretending she was about to kiss him. A hand appeared between their faces, and to her surprise it wasn't her brother's. It was Sirius'.

"Merlin." Loralei kissed his palm. "I was kidding."

"You don't half ass things." Sirius said. "I know."

Loralei rolled her eyes. "You're the only one for me." She batted her eyes at him as she released Remus, who rolled his eyes.

"Don't worry Padfoot. She's like my sister." Remus told him. "Just let her do what she wants, she'll get over it."

"Hey! 'She' is right here!" Loralei told him. "Don't talk like I'm not here!"

"Oh, hello, didn't see you there." Remus said, as he looked toward Loralei.

She smacked his shoulder. "How nice."

"I knew you were there." Sirius told her.

"Aw, thanks love." Loralei crawled forward to kiss him again.

And they were pulled apart again.

**Please Review!**


	45. Chapter 45

"Okay everyone." James said, calling everyone in their defense group together. "EVERYONE!" He yelled when they didn't hear him.

The crowd became silent, looking at the messy-haired boy with five of his friends standing behind him, wands out, though they were held loosely in their hands; they weren't going to be using them soon.

"Okay, so this is the first meeting." James went on. "We're not planning on doing much besides getting a name for this group. So if you have one just raise your hands and one of them will write it in the air."

Slowly people raised their hands.

"Defense association."

"Future Aurors."

"Protection Training."

More and more names came their way, and they were all writing names in the air in gold lettering.

After about an hour of arguing over names, they got majority on one name.

"Guardians?" Loralei said, looking at the last name in the air. "That's our majority?" She was obviously surprised. "I personally was going for certified badasses."

Laughter rang through the room.

"Thank you! I came up with that one." James told her, grinning.

"Probably why it didn't get chosen." Lily whispered to her best friend.

Loralei covered her mouth to try to muffle her laughter.

"Okay, congratulations, we're called The Guardians." James told them. "I think this is enough for today, next week we'll have a real lesson that my sister, Loralei will be leading."

Everyone slowly dispersed out of the classroom while the five of them stayed back.

"Guardians huh?" James asked.

"I'm still calling us Certified Badasses." Loralei muttered.

"Of course you are." Lily rolled her eyes.

"That's what the leaders should be called." Loralei decided, ignoring Lily. "We're the ones that started this."

"I agree." Sirius told them. "I want to be a certified badass."

"Then it is decided. We are Certified Badasses." Loralei said, taking her boyfriend's wrist to look at his watch. "Come on, it's time for dinner guys."

"I'm a girl." Lily told her.

Loralei rolled her eyes. "Really? I didn't notice! I've only seen you naked about a hundred times, and slept in the same dorm as you for six years."

Lily rolled her eyes, and put her hands on her hips, though Loralei could see that she was trying not to laugh.

"I don't know what you're on, but I really wish you would share." Lily told her.

"Do you now?" Loralei held out her hand. "Come here little child, I have candy."

Lily took her hand, and loralei pulled her towards her, before linking their arms and making Lily skip with her.

"Loralei's happy." Remus mentioned after the girls left the classroom.

"Yeah, it's starting to creep me out." James told them.

"Be nice," Sirius told them. "So how are you and Lily doing?"

James grinned. "She talks to me willingly now."

"So are you going to ask her out again?"

James shook his head. "Nope."

The other three boys stared at James.

"What?" He asked

"This is the longest you've gone without asking her out." Remus told him.

"It's freaking me out." Sirius told him.

James rolled his eyes. "Shut up."

"You look like Loralei when you do that." Remus told them.

"Merlin, you're not turning into her are you?" Sirius asked as James started walking away.

"You know, his hair is looking a bit lighter." Remus said, following him.

"And he has gotten a bit sassier."

"And he stopped asking her out!"

"SHUT IT!"

"How're things with Sirius?" Lily asked as she braided Loralei's hair in their dormitory after classes on Monday.

"Good, really good." Loralei told her. "I'm happy."

"I can tell." Lily told her.

"I shouldn't feel this happy." Loralei told her. "Both of my parents are dead."

"You have every right to be happy." Lily told her. "You just know that you can't change what happened. You know you just have to carry on."

"Usually it takes people longer to though." Loralei said.

"So you move on quicker, there's nothing wrong with that." Lily told her. "You're just ready to take on the next bad thing to happen."

"What if bad things only happen now?" Loralei whispered. "What if this year was just to get me ready for sadness and disappointment?"

"You don't believe that. You're always the one that's ready to take on the world." Lily told her. "What's gotten into you?"

Loralei shrugged. "I just don't see how everyone can deal with life when it sucks, and then it looks like it's going to get better, but then it just gets worse."

"You have to have the bad things to have the good things."

"I know, but does it really have to have all the bad things in one year?" Loralei asked. "It's just like, hit after hit, and I don't know if it's going to bleed into this year, and if it does I don't know how long until I break; until all of us break."

"Well, that's why we have each other." Lily told her. "We're supposed to lean on each other, even though I know you don't like doing that."

"I don't like feeling weak." Loralei muttered.

"It's not weak to need help." Lily told her. "So whenever you feel down, just come talk to me. I'm not going to use it against you."

"I know you wouldn't." Loralei told her.

"Well, that's what you're really scared of." Lily told her. "That someone's going to use what you tell them against you."

"You know me too well." Loralei told her. "It's starting to get a bit scary."

"Yes, I agree, but I've put too much time into this relationship to give up now." Lily teased.

"I agree with that statement. I mean, it's taken for ever to get you to this point, if I had to start over it would be terrible!" Loralei replied.

"I know, it'll take another five or six years." Lily agreed. "Can you believe that? I'll be twenty-two!"

"That's if you start now." Loralei added. "If it takes another ten years to find another one you'll be thirty-two!"

"Damn, I'll be old then." Lily smiled.

"With a bunch of redheaded children." Loralei told her.

"I'm guessing yours will be blonde then." She replied.

"Me a mother? We both know I'd suck."

"Kids love you, you babysat for the Weasleys, all the time last summer."

"Because they were adorable ginger kids." Loralei told her. "I'd screw up my own."

"All parents screw up their kids, its a sign that you did a decent job." Lily told her.

"Your kids are going to love you,-until they hit their teens then they'll love you again when their in their twenties." Loralei told her.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Thanks, Lore."

"You're welcome sweetie." Loralei tilted her head up and batted her eyelashes at her friend.

"Stop moving your head, you're messing up the braid."

"Sorry."

**PLEASE REVIEW!**

**ptl4ever419: I don't know what I'm going to do passed when Harry is born. I figured I'd wing it, usually my best ideas come at the last second, so I'm kind of hoping for that. Haha.**

**C.B. Weasley: LOVE YOU TOO!**

**Jordan Lynn 7: Sorry I made you cry...but I get a bit happy when I make people cry with my writing, sorry! **

**Kat**


	46. Chapter 46

Everything went smoothly, even the classes they were teaching. Until they ran out of things they could teach after two months.

"We don't have anything else, we've drained everyone dry." Lily told them on a Wednesday night after she and Remus had Prefect rounds, they were the only ones awake, and Loralei was falling asleep on Sirius' shoulder.

"What about the Auror's daughter?" Sirius asked.

"Nope, that was two weeks ago." Loralei whispered softly. Even when she was falling asleep she had a better memory than most of them.

"So what are we going to do now?" James asked.

Lily bit her lip. "Loralei, you are talking to Fabian again..."

"No." Sirius said, quickly.

"Sirius..." Loralei groaned, lifting her head off his shoulder. "He could help."

"He's an Auror, he knows more than anyone else. It's his job." Remus agreed.

"We'll need to get it approved by Dumbledore." James mentioned.

"Fine, but we don't know if he'll do it." Sirius said.

"He will, he wants the good side to win." Lily told him. "Can you owl him, Lore?"

Loralei nodded. "In the morning."

"Why don't you go to bed?" Lily asked. "You've been almost asleep for an hour."

"It takes energy to go upstairs." Loralei told her.

"Lazy."

"You know it."

_Lai,_

_I'd be happy to come help you with this. Dumbledore said it was all right, right? I have next Friday afternoon off if you want it to meet me at the gates to let me in. I'm happy you decided to come up with this; especially with everything going on outside Hogwarts. You need to learn to protect yourselves, and if I knew half of what I want to show you before I joined I would have been a lot better off in Auror training._

_I hope you're doing well,_

_Fab_

Loralei wrote back that she'd meet him there at Three o'clock, thanked him. She passed the letter around to the Marauders and Lily at breakfast.

"Yes, we have a professional." James said. "Lore, do you think he could help me pad my resumé so I can get in easily?"

"I don't know, get good grades and we'll see." She replied, taking a bite of toast.

"Aw," he pouted. "I'm great at Transfiguration."

"I know that, _Prongs_." Loralei teased, while Lily looked confused. She didn't know about that, more illegal, part of their activities.

"So when are you meeting Prewett?" James asked.

"At three on Friday." Loralei told him. "It should be fun. He's a good teacher."

"And how many things did he teach you?" Peter asked. The question could have been innocent, but from his expression it was anything but innocent.

Loralei's mouth fell open in shock, it took her a second to get her sass back.

"Well, I guess you wouldn't know, being a virgin and all. A terminal virgin from what I can tell too, since you don't kno how to talk to a girl without giving them the creeps."

"I'm staying out of this." James said.

"Agreed."

"I'm siding with her." Sirius said.

"Me too." Lily agreed.

"Now don't be an ass, and maybe you'll get some before you die." Loralei told him.

He looked like he had just been slapped, though he probably would have preferred it. No one likes hearing the truth about them.

"What about bro's before hoes?" Peter asked.

"Well my girlfriend isn't a hoe, so your argument is invalid." He told him.

"You guys hated her last summer." Peter said.

"I didn't." Remus shrugged.

"I didn't hate her, I hated the situation." Sirius told him.

"I just hated the shit going down." James told him. "They weren't supposed to break up that badly when I was kinda the one that caused it."

No one responded to James. Lily, Loralei, and Sirius only knew the truth about it, and even though James did seem a bit guilty about it, none of them said a word about it not being the truth.

"Either way," Loralei stood up. "I'm off to Divination." She kissed Sirius' cheek as she stood up. "See you all at Potions."

"See you."

**Please Review!**

**Sorry I didn't update last week! I'm kind of having a bit of trouble getting my thoughts down to write this chapter. It was supposed to be longer, but since I'm leaving my house (and as well as my computer and wifi) in about twenty minutes, I probably wouldn't remember to write more let alone update. **

**In the next chapter Fabian makes another appearance!**

**Kat**


	47. Chapter 47

Loralei waited at the gates. Dumbledore had them charmed for an hour so only she could open them to let anyone in. He was allowed to use Dumbledore's floo to leave. Loralei didn't know why he couldn't use it to get here too, but she wasn't going to push for a reason.

Loralei saw Fabian's red hair before she saw him. She smiled in greeting, before leaning forward on the gate.

"What's the last thing you said to me?" She asked.

"I told you if you ever needed anything to owl me." He and grinned. "And look, you took up my offer!"

Loralei laughed as she opened the gate. "I usually do when someone offers me something." She nodded towards the castle. "Come on, the meeting starts in ten minutes."

"Does anyone else know I'm here?" He asked.

"Sirius, James, Remus, Lily, and Peter." She listed. "Besides the teachers, and everyone else who needs to know. I think you're going to be a nice surprise for everyone."

"A real auror coming to visit, how special." Fabian teased. "I am still human you know."

"I know, it just means you're trained." She smiled. "It's going to be great."

"I'm rather impressed you came up with this." He told her.

"Well, it wasn't just me, Sirius came up with the idea at first, I'm just the spokes person for it."

"Because of your likable personality?" He asked.

"And I'm the best with people." She told him. "I'm also pretty good at selling myself." She paused, pressing a hand to her forehead as Fabian laughed. "It sounded better in my head."

"I know." He said gleefully. "I love it when you do that."

"Shut it," Loralei replied goodheartedly. "I'm just impressed you didn't say something about me being a hooker after that. That's what everyone else does."

"Well, I wouldn't dare call you a hooker." He replied. "It's like calling a butterfly a beetle."

"That's nice of you." Loralei smiled. "Now, come on," she said, forcing him to walk with her. "We're going to be late."

The teaching went great. Everyone was civil, and if Loralei didn't know Sirius and Fabian so well, she would have thought they were friends. Either way, they behaved for her, and she was grateful. They didn't even snap at each other.

Loralei walked Fabian to Dumbledore's office after the lesson, so they were able to talk without someone overhearing them.

"I'm sorry I asked you to marry me last summer." Fabian told her. "I just always wanted to get married before I die."

Loralei looked up at him sadly. "You don't think you're going to die, do you?"

"I'm on the firing line." He shrugged. "My odds are just higher than everyone else."

"You're going to make it through." She told him. "You're going to get old and bald and fat and have a dozen grandkids."

He laughed. "I'd rather go out fighting though." He paused. "I know I don't have a right to ask this of you, but if I do die, can you do something for me?"

She nodded. "Anything."

"Can you make sure that Gideon and Molly and their families are all okay?" He asked.

Loralei took a deep breath. "I would have anyway."

Fabian smiled. "I should've known. You're truly a good person."

"I hope I am, at least." Loralei smiled back. "You're a good person too, I hope you know that."

"I hope I am, at least." Fabian echoed, nudging her with his elbow.

"Don't ever doubt that you are, you've always been a good guy." Loralei told him. "And not one of those guys that say they are but are actually jerks, you're a true nice guy."

"Well, that's good to hear." Fabian nodded. "Now, if I ask you something, are you going to get mad at me?"

"I don't know, are you asking me how much I charge an hour?" She teased.

"Of course not." He chuckled. "No, I was wondering why you got back together with Black."

Loralei paused a second before answering. "You're not going to like my answer, do you really want to know?"

"It can't be worse than what I've thought in my head." He told her.

"Okay, I don't have a reason not to answer." She sighed. "When my mother was dying I told her everything, and as far as I knew she took it to the grave. I told her that Sirius cheated, and she wanted Sirius' side of the story as well. She wrote me a letter before she died, and it said to give him another chance, and Sirius would never cheat on me again. She told me that the war is starting and that there's not going to be a lot of fun for a while, so have the fun I can now. Then everything just kind of fell into place. I love him." Loralei was smiling by the end of her speech, though she didn't realize it.

"Is that why you decided to marry him?" Fabian asked.

Loralei looked up, confused. "What?"

"The ring, on your finger." He pointed to her left hand.

Loralei looked down and saw her mother's wedding ring on her finger. The golden chain had broken and she didn't have time to fix it yet, but she still wanted that piece of her mother with her. She laughed. "No, this is my mother's wedding ring. She gave it to me before she died. I'm not married. It used to be on a chain, but it broke."

Fabian nodded, looking a bit relieved. "Oh."

Loralei nodded. "I'm not going to get married for a very long time." She said quietly.

Fabian nodded. "Yeah, I know."

Loralei just nodded again in response, not knowing what to say next.

They walked in silence for a minute, before it got to Loralei.

"I think the meeting went well, thank you for that." Loralei mentioned.

"Yeah, you're welcome. It was kinda fun. I like teaching." He told her. "It's good to make an impact on someone."

"Well there's your job when you want a break from being your badass self." She teased.

"Everyone needs a back up career. It'll be good for when I'm old and frail."

"Oh yes, and I'll be there to make fun of you when you are." She promised as they reached the headmaster's office. "Well, we're here." She said before saying the password.

"Owl me?" He asked. "If you ever want me to do this again, I want to. It was fun."

Loralei nodded as she smiled. "Yeah, it definitely was."

He leaned down and kissed her cheek. "I'll see you around."

"See you." She replied as he walked through the door.

Loralei stood there a second before walking back through the corridors to the Gryffindor common room. The others were going to go to the kitchens and bring food up to the boy's room so they wouldn't have to be in the loud Great Hall. Something Loralei asked for since she was getting a headache.

Her visions used to be clearer, but now they were giving her headaches just getting them, like they didn't want to be understood, they just wanted to confuse her. She didn't even know what she was seeing. Flashes of pictures, and small clips of sound, nothing she could share with anyone or use to figure out what needed to change or happen.

Loralei rubbed her forehead as she walked up the stairs slowly. She was tired. She spent half of the day stressing and the other half happy. Now, at six in the evening, she was just tired. Completely tired. Her body and mind was tired. The only difference between the two was her body could find rest in sleep, though her mind would only become louder than it was while she was asleep.

When Loralei arrived in the common room Sirius kissed her forehead, like he knew she had a headache.

"I love you." He told her.

She smiled. "What brought this on?"

"You just remind me how much I do every so often." He said, pressing his forehead on hers.

"Good, 'cause I love you too." She told him. "Come on, let's get dinner."

"Wait!" He told her, pulling a vial full of a blue potion from his pocket. "I have something for you."

"What is it?" She asked, reaching for it.

"I noticed that you were getting a headache during the meeting." He told her. "But you have to eat something right after you drink it. Not the best taste."

Loralei smiled. "What would I do without you?" She asked, as they walked toward the stairs.

"Miss me terribly until you found me again." He told her. "Maybe cry a little bit, or fall into a deep depression."

"Oh yes, that sounds exactly like me." She replied sarcastically, as she laughed.

"Well, I'm in that pretty little head of yours, it takes a lot to get me out." He teased.

"Tell me about it." She rolled her eyes as she opened the door to the boy's dormitory. There was a large spread of food in the middle of the room, and the four teenagers were all sitting on the floor and eating. "Hey guys, ooh, a lot of food."

"We have four teenage boys." Lily told her. "I think they took half the kitchen."

Loralei laughed, taking a seat beside her friend and grabbing a roll of bread and buttering it before shooting the vial Sirius gave her and shuddering it as it went down. "Ew." She took a bite of the bread to smother the taste.

"Another headache?" Lily asked sadly.

Loralei nodded. "And lovely Sirius gave me a potion for it."

"What a good boyfriend!" Lily cried.

"Isn't he?" Loralei agreed.

"Shut up." Remus told them. "It's getting ridiculous how much you two do this in a day."

"What? Her being jealous of my wonderful boyfriend?" Loralei asked him.

"No, the bringing it up whenever he does something for you." James told her. "We had a meeting."

"Who did?" Sirius asked.

"Peter, James and I." Remus told him.

"Fine, if you'd rather we could snog instead." Sirius replied.

Remus turned back to Loralei and Lily. "Carry on."

Loralei looked at Lily before they both started laughing.

Over the next few hours, Loralei moved onto Sirius' bed, and was falling asleep, as she usually did; early on a Friday night.

"Why don't you go to bed? You're falling asleep." James told her.

Loralei shook her head slightly. "No, it's nice to fall asleep to people talking." She muttered.

"As you wish." Lily said, as the others kept talking.

Loralei got what she wished for; falling asleep without complete silence. Complete silence is what made her mind go wild, but with sound, suddenly she couldn't think. To her it was an amazing feeling.

She slept through the night, waking up late in the morning, with Sirius' arm around her waist, and his body behind hers. She hadn't felt better rested in a while. A long while.

Loralei looked at Sirius' watch on the nightstand. She had six hours before she was to meet Alina Webber, the editor for Witch Weekly about her spread. Since it was the only weekend she had nothing to do, she was supposed to go to their offices that afternoon to do the interview while she got the photographs taken. It was six hours away though, so she rested back against Sirius, closed her eyes and listed to his breathing, slowly falling back to sleep.

**Please review!**


	48. Chapter 48

Even on a Saturday Witch Weekly's offices were busy. Men and women bustling to get what they needed done so they could go home. Loralei walked through the building with her visitors badge and looking on every office door until she found Alina Webber's.

She knocked on the door before opening it slightly. "Miss Webber?" She asked.

"Miss Potter?" She replied. "Come on in."

Loralei walked it, and found the editor. She was younger than Loralei expected, in her mid to late twenties with brassy blonde hair and tan skin. She was a good foot taller than Loralei, and had a sweet smile. Her eyes were a shade where you couldn't tell if they were blue or green. Her office was clean with floor-to-ceiling windows along the outside wall, letting the gray London light in, though the office still somehow had a cheerful feeling. One side had two couches with a glass table, while the other was where her desk was.

"Please, call me Loralei." Loralei told her, she only liked being called "Miss Potter" from people she didn't respect.

"Only if you call me Alina." She held out her hand for Loralei to shake.

"Sounds good." Loralei smiled, shaking her hand. "Alina."

"Loralei, please sit." Alina told her, sitting in her office chair, as Loralei sat in the chair in front of her. "I'm rather surprised you agreed to this. When I came up with the idea I was told it wasn't going to happen."

"Well, I don't usually get a choice not to, let alone be able to choose my own clothes." Loralei told her. "I mostly get accosted by reporters from the Prophet. At least this magazine usually gets their facts straight."

"We pride ourselves on that." Alina smiled. "Now, would you like to do the pictures or interview first?"

"Pictures please." Loralei said.

So they did the pictures, it didn't take more than an hour, and when they were done, Alina had gotten them tea, and they sat on the couches in her office drinking tea.

"If you don't want to answer, just tell me." She said, crossing her left leg over her right, and positioning her pad of paper with her quill poised over it ready to start writing.

"Thank you." Loralei took a sip of her tea. "Whenever you're ready."

"Okay, well how do you feel about the new Minister since your father died?" She asked.

"I don't know yet, I think Walter Bell is doing the best he can for being thrust into the job, and only time can tell if he will do a good job."

Alina nodded, writing it down. "You're graduating next year, do you know what career you want to get into?"

"Well, I don't really know yet, but I'm making sure I get good grades so I can keep my options open. I'll probably do something that makes me feel like I'm making a difference. An Auror or Healer or something like that."

Alina wrote that down.

"Tell me something about the daily life of Loralei Potter. What does it consist of?" She asked.

Loralei thought for a second. "Wake up, go to breakfast, go to class. Quidditch practice every other day. I'm sorry, but my life is actually pretty boring. If you see a report of me in Paris or Milan during the school year, it's a lie."

"Everyone says their life is boring. What is one memory you would never want to forget?" She asked.

Loralei thought for a second, so many memories going through her mind. "That's a hard one. I'd have to say the first time my parents took James and I to Italy. It was early in the summer and there were flowers everywhere. I got free gelato because I was so blonde and young. I couldn't be more than ten or eleven."

After Alina wrote what Loralei said down, she paused, as if she was about to ask a difficult question. She sighed before looking up into Loralei's eyes. "How are you doing since your parents deaths? What is the hardest part?"

Loralei sighed. She really should answer this question just so everyone would stop asking it when they saw her.

"We're doing okay, I'm doing okay. I mean, our parents die, and that's how it should be. They made sure we'd be fine if they died, so really all that's left for us to do is miss them. The hardest part though is when people ask us how we're doing and they want us to lie and say we're doing great, that we're over it. We're not going to be over it, we're just coping and living through it. We're doing fine, and that's all you can expect from us. It hasn't even been six months since we lost our mother, and much less than that since we lost our father. I don't think it would be healthy for us to be fantastic for a while."

"You're saying 'we' and 'us' who else are you speaking about?" Alina asked softly.

"My brother and a few of our close friends." Loralei told her.

"Is Sirius Black one of them?"

"Yes, he's lived with us a lot since we met him." Loralei nodded.

"So you are both around each other often, is it weird with you both being exes?" She asked.

Loralei smiled. "Not when you're not exes anymore."

Alina tried to hide her smile, but Loralei noticed it.

"Yes, Sirius and I are back together. Go ahead and write that down. I'd rather you be the ones to break it to the world than anyone else. Also be sure to remind them that I am the adopted daughter to the Potter's so my blood status is unknown."

"Is that to piss off his family?"

"Oh, majorly." Loralei grinned. "But do me a favor and keep that off the record."

She nodded "So did you make James a troublemaker or did he make you one?"

"Oh, we both are troublemakers in completely different ways." Loralei laughed. "He's blatant with it. I only am when I need to be."

"Like now?"

"No, this is just for fun." Loralei told her. "Passive aggressive fun."

"Okay, I'll keep all of the things about Sirius Black's family off the record, but can I keep the troublemaker thing?"

"Of course." Loralei agreed. "James will love that I mentioned him."

Alina laughed as she nodded. "All right. Just tell me one last thing, why are you always the spokes person for the Potter children? I mean, I've seen pictures of your brother in the paper, but you're the one that gets the scandals, and the one that comments for you both when asked a question by reporters."

"Okay, are we excluding all the times I've sassed and cussed out the Daily Prophet reporters?"

"Yes."

Loralei laughed. "Thank you. It's mostly because I'm the best at memorizing lines. We decide what we want to say before and I put it in the best and easiest way to say it. I can get my point across better than James. He's too scatterbrained."

She nodded. "Is there anything you would like to say to the public?"

Loralei thought for a second. "Stay strong. Especially in these times strength is hard to find, but it's the most powerful thing to have."

Alina smiled. "Thank you Loralei Potter, for this wonderful interview."

Loralei shook her hand. "And thank you, Alina Webber for not being like the Prophet."

**Please review!**


	49. Chapter 49

Loralei arrived back at Hogwarts after dinner, tired but happy. She had grabbed a quick bite out of a cafe in Witch Weekly's building, but now she was walking through Hogwarts, thinking. Loralei thinking never really was a good thing.

For the first time she had a good encounter with a reporter. One that made her want to have another article written about her. She had confirmed her relationship with Sirius, and said what she's wanted to for a while, and they were going to publish it on Monday, and send her a copy. She was excited, more excited than she cared to admit.

She felt untouchable. No one could bring her down today, but she wouldn't say that; someone might think it's a challenge.

She climbed up to the Gryffindor common room, and found her friends sitting on the couches there. Lily looked a bit ill, and Loralei knew something was wrong.

"What happened?" She demanded.

"Five muggle families were killed last night...three miles from where my parents live." Lily told her. "It's becoming real."

"It always was real." Loralei told her. "Do you know them?"

"No, but one of them had a son. He's a seventh year."

"Who?"

"Thomas Bishop, he's in Hufflepuff." Remus told her.

Loralei sat down next to Lily. "Wow." She sighed. "Did the muggles have any power in the community, anything?"

Lily shook her head. "No."

"So they were killed because they were there." Loralei shook her head. "I hate when people kill people, I hate it worse when they kill people just because they're there. If they had a motive, then they could be stopped."

"Don't try to get into a psychopath's mind." James told her.

Loralei nodded, chewing the inside of her cheek. "What are the aurors doing about it?"

"You're closer to them than we are." James replied. "They just say the same as usual. The aurors are working hard to get the people behind it in Azkaban."

"Do they think they know who they are?" Loralei asked.

"My cousin, for one." Sirius said. "Bellatrix."

"Dolohov. Voldemort's mark was above the cul-de-sac." Remus added. "They wrote their names into the bodies."

Loralei's stomach turned. "Well, we all know they're sick then, don't we?"

Lily sighed. "In lighter news, how was your interview?"

"It was good." Loralei told them. "It should be out Monday morning, they're sending me a copy."

"What was it like?" Lily asked.

"It was like talking to a friend, actually. Alina told me I didn't have to answer any questions I didn't want to, but actually she didn't ask any bad ones." Loralei shrugged.

So their conversation went. From something heavy to something that doesn't really matter. It was easier that way. Loralei excused herself to bed early. She was far more tired than she had any right to be since she slept in.

Monday morning the issues of Witch Weekly came, almost every teenage girl in the school got one, and Loralei was put at the top of the social pyramid. Especially after the photos with her in glamorous clothing. Loralei was the one that everyone wanted to talk to, and get her opinion on things. She was on top again, and she took the spot beautifully.

"Is that really you?"

"You're so pretty, Loralei!"

"What was the interview like?"

"Can you sign this?"

"Oh, I wish I was you. You're so lucky."

Suddenly, she was the one that everyone was jealous of, no matter how bad of a year she had. No one seemed to understand that she wasn't the luckiest person in the world. Her parents were dead, and a war was starting. One she could see no choice in but being a part of it. She wasn't one to just sit back and watch.

"I think I'm going to be an auror." She told her friends at dinner one night.

"You've finally decided?" James asked, looking relieved. "I thought you were just going to sit on your ass mooching off your trust fund for a few years."

Loralei punched her brother as he started laughing. "Shut up. I thought we decided you would fill the spot of good for nothing rich kid."

He elbowed her back and they started pushing each other until Lily got out from her spot next to Loralei, and sat between them. She pushed their plates to the side to make room for hers.

"No fighting." Was all she said, before she kept on eating.

Loralei laughed. "Wow, okay, mom." She reached around Lily to push James.

"Hey! Lily! Loralei pushed me!" James whined in his best childlike whiny voice.

"Stop it, Loralei." Lily told her, obviously enjoying this. "I will put you in time out."

"Lily!" Loralei whined in the same kind of voice her brother had used.

"Loralei!" Lily mimicked.

"Lily!"

"Lore!"

"Lily!"

"If I have to hear one more girl's name I'm going to scream!" Remus told them.

The girl's paused, looking at each other. Loralei leaned forward and stared straight at Remus.

"Veronica."

Instead of the screaming he had promised, he laughed. As did everyone else in their group.

"Empty threats, empty threats." Loralei teased, grinning at the werewolf.

"Shut it."

**Sorry for the late update! My life has been insane lately, and I've had a pretty hard time getting enough time just to sit down and write for a bit. **

**OhTeaPea: Yay:) Thank you! I always like hearing that I can get people into the stories my brain comes up with:) Thanks for your review!**

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**Jordan Lynn 7: I'm happy you enjoyed it ;D Thanks for your review!**

**BooBooBear52: I promise I will finish this story:) It might take a while, but it will be done! Thanks for your review!**

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**Please review!**

**Kat**


	50. Chapter 50

Loralei felt like she blinked and it was summer time. She could barely even remember her finals, either way, she hoped she did well on them. Lily went home to be with her parents, she couldn't wait to get home after the attack so close to her home. Peter went home too, Remus decided to stay, mostly since the three of them could keep him company after he transformed, and they could all go into a field and charm it so they had to stay in until they were back in their human form and took down the wards.

The summer was, for one time in a while, boring. There wasn't much they could do, and Loralei made sure everyone staying over was on Potter grounds before dark. Though she was the youngest, and the only one unable to do magic, she took it upon herself to make sure they all were safe.

"Is Lily coming over at some point?" James asked.

"I don't know, why don't you owl her and ask?" Loralei replied.

"I think I will." James said, before running to go get some parchment and call one of their owls.

Sirius shook his head. "Does he realize that you're pushing them together?"

"Does she?" Remus replied.

"Nope. She just thinks I'm lazy and I'm getting my brother to do all the writing for me." Loralei raised her right hand to look at it. "I think I'm getting carpal tunnel."

"Really?" Remus asked, not believing it a bit.

"No, but she doesn't need to know that, does she?" Loralei replied.

Sirius, who was sitting next to her, hugged her. "Isn't my girlfriend smart?"

"Yeah, your only smart girlfriend you've ever had. Ever." Remus told him. "I thought you only liked dumb girls for a while there."

"You mean the ones that care if their hair is perfect?" Sirius asked.

Loralei looked at him. "Are you saying my hair doesn't look good?"

Sirius started backtracking. "No-I-no. It always looks great! Doesn't it, Remus?"

Remus and Loralei started laughing.

"You're so mean to him, Lore." Remus told her.

"I'm waiting for him to catch on that I'm making fun of him." Loralei replied. "No harm done."

"That's what you say, the poor boy's whipped!" Remus said.

"Hey! That, 'poor boy's' right here!" Sirius told him. "I don't understand what the big deal is. I don't want to upset her, what's the problem?"

"You back pedaled so fast..." Remus trailed off.

"Okay, is this better?" Sirius turned to Loralei. "Your hair is always messy, but I love it because I'm the one that messed it up."

"Aw," Loralei gave him a peck on the lips. "Isn't my boyfriend great?"

"You guys make me sick." Remus said.

"Still looking for a girl?" Sirius asked.

"Yep, a pink-haired one apparently." Remus rolled his eyes.

Sirius looked confused while Loralei's eyes widened. Sirius didn't know about her sight yet. She even forgot she hadn't told him yet...Lily didn't know either.

"What?"

Remus didn't notice the face Loralei was giving him, or the little, "cut it out" movements she was making with her hand. She meant to tell him before, and she didn't want it coming from anyone else. Getting news second-hand never felt good.

"Oh, you know. Loralei's just telling everyone's future. Mine is apparently with a pink haired girl."

"I think that divination is getting into your head, Lore." Sirius told her. "You can't see who everyone's going to belong with."

When Loralei was about to respond, Remus started talking.

"I don't know, she saw you laying on their front steps last summer apparently. And that James and Lily are having a kid with his hair and her eyes."

Sirius slowly turned to Loralei. "Lore...?"

"See? This is why I don't tell people. They don't believe me." Loralei told Remus. "If I told Lily she'd tell me I'm bullshitting her."

"He's serious?" Sirius asked. "You're serious?"

"No, you are actually." Loralei told him. "But yeah, I can see things before they happen."

"Who else knows?" Sirius asked, shocked.

"Alive? James...and Fabian."

"You told Fabian?" He pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger.

"First boyfriend, and I kinda let it slip." Loralei defended. "I wasn't as good hiding things a couple years ago."

"And now you are?"

"Well I forgot I didn't tell you, didn't I?" Loralei replied. "Sorry."

"So you forgot you didn't tell me?" Sirius said. "You actually meant to tell me, but you forgot I didn't know?"

Loralei nodded. "I'm kind of a forgetful person."

Sirius shook his head. "Anything else I should know?"

Loralei shook her head. "I don't think so."

"Well it explains why you're so good at Divination. You already get how it works. It's either a set point in time, or it wants to change."

"Exactly." Loralei nodded.

"So which do you think Moony's girl is?" He asked her.

"Fixed point. It's, for some reason, important." Loralei told her. "Same with James and Lily's baby boy."

"Why do you think their kid's important?" Sirius asked.

Loralei shrugged. "No idea. I don't want to know why either. I've had so many about that kid that he's really important. I don't want to know why, because I know I won't be able to tell anyone or help him."

"Why can't you tell?" Sirius asked.

"Someone might try to change his future." Loralei told him. "Whenever someone's important, that means they're going to have a tough life. I haven't told James that, but as long as we're around, he'll have a good life."

"You bet he will. With a family like us, he'll be messed up, but happy." Sirius agreed. "Moony and Lily can make sure he's smart, you and James can teach him quidditch, and I'll teach him how to be sneaky."

Loralei laughed. "Yeah, sounds perfect. I'll make sure he can beat James in quidditch. My little protégé."

"As soon as he can walk we'll get him a toy broomstick."

"Sounds perfect."

"What other visions have you had?" Sirius asked when they were the last ones awake that night. They were in the large kitchen and Loralei was sitting on the island drinking tea while Sirius was leaning on the counter opposite her.

"What do you mean?" Loralei asked. "Narrow it down please."

"What visions have you had about me?" Sirius asked.

"Only a few. I saw us here, actually, just you and me in this big house." Loralei told him. "Not too many really. I don't know why, it's not that I can control it. It gets bad when I'm doing my makeup and one comes and somehow my eyeliner ends up on my cheek."

"That explains the ink mark from finals week..." He muttered.

"Nope, that was me falling asleep studying." Loralei told him. "My quill flew out of my hand and grazed my cheek."

"And you didn't feel it or see it?" He asked.

She shook her head, laughing quietly. "I was running on coffee that week, remember?"

"Yeah, you could barely sit still, and you couldn't eat because you were nervous." Sirius shook his head. "Which isn't healthy."

"I know, doesn't change what happens during every finals week." Loralei told him with a shrug.

"What did you and Prewett talk about when you walked him to Dumbledore's office?" Sirius asked.

"It's taken you three months to ask me that?" Loralei laughed, before shaking her head. "Nothing really. We talked about you. He thought we got married because I was wearing this." She reached under her shirt to get her mother's ring that was on the chain she fixed. "He also asked why we got back together."

"And you told him?"

"Because I wanted to. Because I love you. Because I wanted to be with you again." Loralei told him. "He told me he was sorry for asking me to marry him."

"And you said?"

"That it's okay. It wasn't meant to be, and he'll find some girl in the end of it all." Loralei said. "I think we're friends again. I think we can be at least."

"Would it be terribly jealous of me to ask you not to get together alone? Like, have people around or something, for me?"

Loralei smiled kindly. "That's fine. I might see him tomorrow when I go see Molly. I haven't seen Percy in a long time, and I bet he's gotten big now."

"You really like her, don't you?"

"It's like having a big sister, and I fill my need for baby-talk. It's perfect." Loralei smiled.

"It gives you an excuse to play with wooden blocks, doesn't it?"

"And have the kids tear it down. It's perfect." Loralei laughed quietly. "And they love me for it. Win win."

Sirius smiled, shaking his head. "You're ridiculous. I love it."

"As you should." Loralei told him. "Otherwise, I'd be wondering what you're doing with me."

"Easy, I'm here for your body."

"So what are your plans for your seventeenth birthday?" Molly asked her the next day.

"Nothing, really. I'll be able to drink legally for the first time, and since I'm the last one of my group legal, we're probably going to go to some pub and drink or something." Loralei told her honestly. "It's an immature thing to do, but none of the others really got a birthday party last year, so we're just celebrating all of them at once."

"Getting candles and everything?" She teased. "Don't worry, my seventeenth birthday was pretty much the same, but I was only celebrating my own birthday."

"I'm Loralei freakin' Potter, the bar will give me a candle." Loralei said, in her most conceited voice before laughing. "No, we'll probably just start singing happy birthday really loud after a couple drinks."

Molly laughed. "I remember being like that, remember to be careful, though."

"We're going to a hotel for Wizards in London. There's doormen and guards at the doors, and we're getting a hotel room right upstairs." Loralei told her. "Lily and I did the research, and I made reservations. It's the weekend before school starts, but I'm excited. A month away and all."

"One hotel room?"

"Two, but their connected rooms. Just so we all can stick together." Loralei said. "Even though we're probably getting sloshed, I don't think we're going to split up, and if we do, we probably will be in two groups, so none of us will be alone."

"That's good. All of you are barely legal." Molly told her.

"Yeah, but it's supposed to be the safest place right now from reviews I found in magazines and in papers." Loralei shrugged. "I'm willing to believe them unless I get there, and it's a dump."

Molly nodded. "Good reasoning."

"I like to think so." Loralei smiled.

"I hear from Fabian that you started a Defense group at Hogwarts."

Loralei nodded. "I figure at least I can put it on my resume for if I go for being an Auror."

"Are you thinking about it?" Molly asked.

"Yeah, I don't see why not. I'm pretty good with magic and defense, and I want to make a difference in the war. I don't have any kids I need to stay alive for, so I have nothing holding me back, and if Sirius goes into it to-which he will-he won't be able to say anything about me going for it too." Loralei replied. "Then the three of us will all be Aurors, Remus and Lily will be Healers, and Peter will be whatever Peter wants."

"You don't like Peter." Molly said.

"I don't mind him, he just always seems to be around." Loralei told her. "I mean, the guys like him, so that's fine and all, but he doesn't really like me, so I don't like him."

Molly nodded. "I get that. What kind of stuff does he do?"

"He called me a slut until everyone jumped at him for it. I see him watching me tan whenever the sun's out and its warm enough." Loralei shrugged.

"Ah, he fancies you." Molly said. "And he doesn't like that you're dating Sirius because that means he can't date you."

"It's not like I'd date him anyway. I don't date people who are rude to me." Loralei said.

"You're far too good for it." Molly agreed, smiling. "Bill's missed you." She nodded towards where he was playing on the floor with his brothers, stopping Charlie from messing with Percy, who was almost one year old.

"I've missed him too." Loralei told her. "I've missed all of them. I love kids, and yours are some of the most well behaved, I must say."

"Thank you." Molly said sincerely.

"And the prettiest. I don't get how it's bad to be ginger, it means you have the brightest hair in the room." Loralei told her. "I wish I was ginger!"

"Well, you know we don't have souls." Molly teased.

"No! Really?" Loralei played along. "You had me completely fooled!"

"Well, I just needed to suck you in so you learn to love us, then I steal your soul then feed it to my children."

"Oh no!" Loralei pressed the back of her hand to her forehead. "Someone save me! I need my soul!"

Molly laughed as her eldest son ran to Loralei and threw his arms around her neck to hug her.

"I'll save you!" He cried.

"Aw, look, my little knight in shining armor." Loralei laughed, hugging him tightly back as she swung him on her lap. "How are you doing, Bill?"

"I'm good Auntie Lai." He smiled. "Percy cries all night."

"Not that you'll notice." Molly smiled at her eldest son. "You sleep like the dead."

"But you and Dad talk about it _all_ the time." He complained.

Loralei laughed. "When you have kids you'll get it."

"But you don't have kids and you get it." Bill said.

"It runs in my blood." Loralei explained. "We've all been kept up by someone crying at some point in our lives."

Bill have her a look. "I don't want to have kids."

Loralei laughed. "That's what we all say, then one day the cuteness of babies gets too much and we give in."

"I'm not!" Bill said stubbornly.

Loralei laughed. "Okay, okay."

Molly changed the subject as her son slipped off Loralei's lap. "I saw your spread in Witch Weekly a couple months ago."

"Oh, did you like it?"

"Yeah, what made you decide to do it?" Molly asked.

"They asked permission. I guess I was rewarding good behavior. Plus, I'd rather have them get the inside scoop than have the Prophet stalk me." Loralei replied. "I liked Alina Webber. She let me keep things off the record, and let me choose what questions to answer."

"That's good to hear." Molly smiled.

Loralei nodded. "Yeah. It was fun too. I love getting my hair and makeup done. I felt like a muggle movie star."

Molly laughed. "Don't let Arthur hear you saying that. He might think you know things about muggles and not let you leave until you answer his questions."

Loralei laughed. "He's funny like that." She looked at her watch. "Ooh, I got to go, but we have to get together again before summer ends." Loralei told her. "And if you ever need a babysitter or anything I'd love to come hang out with your kids. They're great."

Molly smiled. "Good seeing you."

Loralei hugged her. "You too."

"How are the Weasley's?" Sirius asked when Loralei got in that evening.

"They're good." She told him, putting her purse on the kitchen counter and looking around for other signs of life. "Where's everyone?"

"Lily invited James over to show him muggle life. They should be here soon. Moony's taking a shower, and he'll be down in a second. Peter's meeting us at Leaky Now, go put on something sexy, we're all going out for dinner."

"But-"

"Don't say it's dangerous. We're apparating to the Leaky Cauldron and then going to a nice restaurant." He told her.

Loralei rolled her eyes. "What's the occasion?"

"I have an announcement." Sirius said proudly.

"And I don't get to know first? What's being your girlfriend worth if I don't get to know things first?"

He rolled his eyes. "Go get changed."

Loralei shook her head. "Fine. Give me five minutes."

"You mean thirty." He corrected.

"Do you want me to look hot or not?"

"You always look hot!" He called after her.

She started walking away as she laughed. "That's why I'm your girlfriend!" She called over her shoulder.

"You better believe it."

Sirius made them all get dressed in something nice, and took them to a nice restaurant. They were not only the largest table there, but also the youngest. The other guests were looking at them like they shouldn't be allowed in. Loralei wondered what they would think if they found out that with all the money the teenagers had together would be more than the rest of them combined.

They were able to order wine, and their food, that's when Sirius spoke.

"You all know you're wondering why I made this happen. I am not poor anymore." He said proudly. "My uncle died, I didn't even know him too well, but he liked that I ran away from my parents, so he left me everything he owns. He didn't have any kids or a wife or anything. It's all mine."

Loralei looked around grinning. "So my boyfriend's not a freeloader off me anymore? Wicked."

Everyone laughed.

"Seriously, love. This is great." Loralei kissed him lightly. "You're still living with us, though, right?"

"Of course, you need to be protected! You cannot use magic for another..." He thought for a second. "Month and two days?"

"Aw, he remembers." Loralei leaned into him, looking at everyone around the table.

"So, now half of us are heirs, and the rest of us are peasants?" Peter asked.

Peter's question came at the perfect moment when James was taking a sip of wine, and he choked on it. Everyone was already laughing, but that put them over the edge into hysterics.

"I think they should start bowing to us." Loralei said to her fellow heirs. "Like the peasants they are."

"Hey, the rest of us are steady middle class." Remus told them.

"No! Bow to me!" Loralei commanded quietly.

Lily rolled her eyes at her best friend and turned to Sirius. "You never told us your uncle died."

Sirius shrugged. "I didn't really know him. I was owled today to go to the ministry to go over what he left me. I traded some of the galleons for muggle money, and figured that I could take you all out for a nice dinner. Muggle-style."

"There's not a big difference between the two." Loralei told him.

"Either way, it goes along with the day James and Lily had. I was always thinking of them." Sirius said with false selflessness.

"Oh, what a good person you are." Loralei replied sarcastically. "You should be given an award."

Sirius rolled his eyes. "Shut up."

"No." Loralei said, turning to Lily. "So I got a rich boyfriend now."

"Lucky you." Lily said. "Speaking of which, I need to talk to you. Now."

Loralei looked concerned. "Is everything okay?"

Lily laughed. "Yes, everything's okay. No big drama, okay? Nothing serious...well kinda serious...but not really."

"You're confusing me." Loralei told her. "Just tell me."

"How about I tell you alone?" Lily replied looking around the table at the boys.

Loralei followed her line of sight. "Sure. But you're gonna tell them anyway right? You know I don't like to keep secrets."

"Yeah, I just need to hear what you're going to say first." Lily told her. "Bathroom?"

"Sounds good." Loralei stood up and turned to the boys. "We're going to be right back. Don't blow anything up while we're gone."

Remus snapped his fingers in disappointment. "Damn it!"

Loralei laughed. "Seriously. We're in a muggle place. Keep it to a minimum."

"Yes, mother." James said in a bored voice. "Now, go talk to Lily. The suspense is killing me about what she needs to talk to you about. I must know what it is!"

Loralei rolled her eyes, and took her hand. Noticing Lily's blush, though she wasn't going to mention it until they were away from the table.

Loralei took Lily's hand and led her through the busy restaurant. Dodging waiters and waitresses as they made it to the bathroom, laughing.

"Did you see that look that woman was giving us?" Loralei giggled. "She wanted to be us or be on us! I don't know which!"

Lily rolled her eyes. "Yes, all old women want to be us. It means we're young!"

Loralei checked her eye makeup in the mirror. "So what was it you were going to tell me?"

"Oh, you know, things." Lily said, obviously trying to be mysterious as she checked her eye makeup as well.

Loralei bumped her with her hip. "Cut it out and spill, girl."

Lily pulled her friend close and whispered something in her ear.

"Are you serious! Yes! You have my permission! When did this happen?" She demanded.

"A couple hours ago." Lily told her.

Loralei sighed. "Forgive me."

"For what?" Lily asked.

Loralei grabbed her friend's wrist, and drug her through the restaurant back to their table. Lily objected the whole way there, but Loralei didn't seem to hear her, or if she did, she didn't care. "Attention Marauder friends. I have an announcement."

They all stared at her.

Loralei cleared her throat. "James Potter and Lily Evans have finally to succumb to the sexual tension of seven years and have decided to date. That is all."

**A/N: IMPORTANT! So, the fiftieth chapter everyone! Thank you everyone who has stuck with me though it! Lily and James are finally together!**

**I am not going to be updating for the next few weeks. Sorry! I'm not going to have internet connection for two weeks, then I don't know about the week after, but I promise to update the second I get home! To make up for this, this is the longest chapter I've written for this story and there is no cliffhanger or anything! **

**C.B Weasley: Yes! It's going to be looking good for her for a while. YOU ARE SO CUTE AHHH I have no idea who you are but I think I love you. You are such a lovely person! XD Ha ha. **

**hufflepuffloveforever.x: Aw thanks! :D Isn't she? I think it'd be kind of bad if I made an unlikable character as the main character XD Ha ha! **

**Please Review!**

**Kat**


	51. Chapter 51

Loralei made sure Lily and her had some girl-talk that night. Everything was going well for all of them. Loralei's vision was finally coming true, and she was excited. Now she had someone to go on double dates with. Now she just needed to find that pink-haired girl that Remus would end up with so they can have that teal-haired baby.

"I know you don't want to hear too much, him being your brother and all." Lily started.

"Just like you don't want to know everything about me and Sirius." Loralei replied. "Just tell me what I tell you about Sirius."

"He was sweet." Lily told her. "He told me that I was special, and that's why he was after me all those years. He meant it as a compliment."

"Well, duh. It's about time he told you that." Loralei rolled her eyes. "He's been telling everyone else for years."

"He never told me." Lily muttered.

"But the rest of us did." Loralei replied. "Go on."

It was Lily's turn to roll her eyes. "He just told me that he still likes me-he didn't say love-and that if I ever change my mind about him to let him know. He still wants to give it a shot."

"And you said?"

"That I did change my mind about him."

"I hate you and your cuteness." Loralei told her. "You're so cute, I just want to bottle you up and sell you for added cuteness so everyone can be as cute as you."

"...what?"

"Sorry, I've been drinking. Anything else?"

Lily shook her head. "He's the best kiss I've ever had."

"Aw! This is more cute than those stupid books we've read!" Loralei told her.

"Look who's talking, I've-tamed-a-man-whore." Lily replied. "Someone should write a book about you!"

"The book wouldn't be able to handle my wit, let alone my sass." Loralei waved her hand. "But if the book was about you, a little British girl from Brighton finds out she's a witch, and goes to a boarding school where she meets her best friend." Loralei coughs and gestures to herself. "And becomes enemies with the girls brother. A few years down the road, they fall in love, and get married at nineteen-"

"Whoa there, novelist." Lily replied, laughing. "Maybe you'd like to write this down."

Loralei rolled her eyes. "It would be cute! One of the great love stories!"

"Up there with Romeo and Juliet?" Lily asked.

"Only easier understood!" Loralei laughed.

Lily sighed. "You can never change, Loralei. Promise me, that no matter what you will stay looking on the brighter side of things."

Loralei raised her chin a bit. "You bet your little red head." She winked. "I'd tell you to stay smart, but I'm afraid that you could only get smarter."

Lily's eyes narrowed playfully. "Are you calling me dumb or always getting smarter?"

"The second I suppose." Loralei replied nonchalantly, looking at her nails.

Lily laughed. "Good, otherwise I might have to smack you."

"With my seeker reflexes?" Loralei scoffed. "I doubt you'd be able to catch me."

"So you'll ride away on your broom?"

"No, I'd moan really loudly every time you hit me and beg for more." Loralei told her proudly.

"We have gone to the dirty place." Lily pressed her hand against her face.

"I will always bring us to the dirty place."

"So is everyone ready for our trip?" Loralei asked while they were bringing their bags down. "Everything packed?"

"Yes, mother." James replied, boredly.

"Don't sass me, James. I just want everything to be perfect, and no one forget their tooth brush." She replied, raising her eyebrows at James.

"Okay, okay. I get it." He told her. "We got everything. Packed this morning."

"This morning? Lily and I have been packing since yesterday." Loralei told him, gesturing the two foot tall black muggle suitcase Lily brought for her and Loralei to put their stuff in with hers.

"We're leaving for two nights, what do you have in there?" James asked, who just had a backpack.

"Makeup, hangover potions, clothes, brushes, hair things." Loralei listed.

"Never mind, I don't care enough for you to tell me." James said.

"Too bad Peter bailed." Remus said. "His parents didn't like him being in the same hotel room with girls."

Loralei laughed. "We both have boyfriends, and we'd never be interested in him. I'm pretty sure his virginity's safe."

Lily was holding back her laugh as the boys all laughed. "That's not nice, Lore."

"No, it's not. But the truth rarely is." Loralei replied, laughing along with the boys. "I'm the voice of reason and truth."

Lily rolled her eyes. "Okay, voice of reason and truth, when's the car coming?"

Loralei grabbed Sirius' hand to look at the watch on his wrist. "Any minute now."

As if on cue a bell rang through the mansion; someone passed through their wards.

"Muggle or magical? James asked.

"Magical. We can all use our wands." Loralei grinned. "He'll probably use his to get our bags in the trunk. Come on, let's go meet him outside. I'll lock up."

The rooms were joined with a door through the wall in front of the first bed on each of the rooms. The whole thing looked like gold. Gold coverings on the beds, gold walls, even a gold armchair in the corner of each of the rooms. A muggle television on a stand. The girls just knew that the boys were going to tinker with it while the girls were getting ready for their night.

Loralei did an insane amount of research into this place. Along with the restaurant, there was a spa, a gym, pool, night club, and a bar. It was all completely watched and completely safe. No one was allowed in under seventeen. They wouldn't leave the hotel for two days. Everything was perfect for Loralei's seventeenth birthday party.

"This is perfect." Lily told her. "We're all going to end up passed out on one bed."

"Probably, but we have four to choose from to do it on!" Loralei laughed as they unzipped their bag to unpack a bit. "Can you put the makeup and toiletries in the bathroom?"

"Yeah, can you get my dress out for tonight?" Lily asked.

"Yeah."

The boys came in through the connecting door, and Sirius dove onto the bed, and laid there with his hands behind his head. "How long until you guys are ready?

"We have to get dressed and do our makeup." Loralei told him.

"And hair?" James asked.

"Nope, keeping it down." She rolled her eyes. "Just need to brush it."

"Good, then we're going to the club and forgetting every worry we've ever had." James told her.

Loralei laughed. "And pass out drunk."

"Well, you are legal now." James told her.

Loralei rolled her eyes. "Finally. I've been looking legal since I was fourteen."

"Yeah, I know. It's the tits." Sirius told her.

Loralei looked at him, her head cocked to the side. "What?"

"Your tits. Once they came in you were a new girl, not the cute girl next door, no, you were the girl everyone wanted."

"Uh-huh," Loralei rolled her eyes. "Well I'm going to get dressed, and we'll be back when we're ready."

"Have fun you too." Sirius winked at her.

"Not too much fun!" James added.

Loralei could hear Lily's light laugh from the bathroom.

**A/N: Sorry it's not a long chapter! I've just been so busy and jet lagged and it's been a crazy week. I will-sadly-not be able to update next week because I will be off on another vacation. Sorry! I will probably not miss another week after this unless my summer gets crazier!**

**hufflepuffloveforever.x: Aw, thank you :P I'm hoping to get more James/Lily in the next chapter. Thanks for the review!**

**JustanotherHarrypotterfan3817: Thank you! I've worked really hard on it :) Thanks for the review!**

**jordan Lynn 7: Thank you! I'm kinda modling Bill after this kid a babysit, but aren't all kids cute? Thanks for the review!**

**C.B. Weasley: Aw thank you! Believe it or not, thats actually how my friends and I talk. XD You too you lovely person! Thanks for the review!**

**Guest: I think you know who you are, because I don't have too many Guest reviewers :P Thank you :) I've been writing stories ever since I can remember, so I'm happy all that practice has paid off. Thanks for the review!**


	52. Chapter 52

"So where to first?" Loralei asked them.

"You're the birthday girl." Lily told her.

Loralei looked to one of signs that led to the club. It would be far more fun than the bar where middle aged wizards and witches were. No dancing, no music, no fun. The dance club would have a little more fun, and probably younger people.

Loralei pulled them towards the club. "We're going to go dancing."

They already had to be seventeen to stay in the hotel, so they didn't have to prove their ages by doing a spell or anything. They didn't even look like they were seventeen, they looked older, easily twenty years old. They got in the club, and found a booth in the back before ordering drinks.

"Firewhiskey for everyone." Loralei told the waiter who was in his twenties as she handed him her little plastic muggle-style room key. "And start a tab."

"Yes ma'am." He said, taking her card before leaving.

"So, this is the safest possible place to celebrate the fact that we are all of age." Loralei told them. "They screen everyone before they make reservations, and the check you at the door. There has never been anything worse than a drunken fight."

"Knock on wood!" Lily interjected, tapping her knuckles on the painted black, wooden table in front of them.

Loralei laughed. "The one person here who thinks Divination is shit, and you're superstitious? Merlin, Lils, make up your mind."

Lily rolled her eyes. "Go on."

"If any of us starts being ridiculous, we go back to the room, agreed?" Loralei asked.

"What if we're all too far gone?" Sirius asked.

"Then I hope none of us get arrested." Loralei told him.  
"Ooh, that might be hard..." He teased.

"Try for me?" Loralei batted her eyelashes.

"Enough flirting. That's my sister." James stated. "It's not right for me to witness this."

"But us all walking in on you and Lily snogging, and we're in the wrong?" Remus inquired.

"That's unfair, we've all seen Loralei and Padfoot." James responded.

"But they never told us it was our fault." Remus told him. "They just tell us to go away, or they find somewhere else."

"Because we are considerate obnoxiously in love people." Loralei told her brother. "That's one thing you don't get."

"Shut up." James muttered.

All this time, Lily didn't say a word, she just sat there blushing, a hand covering her face, though she looked like she didn't know whether she should laugh or not.

"Learn to be considerate, and then you won't be made fun of." Loralei told James.

"We still make fun of you and Padfoot." Remus replied.

Loralei looked up thoughtfully. "True." She looked back down at her brother and Lily. "I will always make fun of you both. I will tell your children of your hate for each other, and I will also tell them of how much you complained about each other."

"We're going to hate you, aren't we?" James asked.

"You bet your chaser arse." Loralei replied.

The waiter arrived with their drinks, and they all grabbed theirs.

Loralei raised her glass. "To growing up."

They clinked their glasses as Sirius said. "To _never_ growing up."

"I'm thirsty!" Loralei cried, she wasn't drunk, but she was starting to get up there. She was rather surprised at her own tolerance to alcohol. She may be a bit cloudy, but it was more weightless than anything. She still knew what she was doing, and she knew she would remember it in the morning. She wasn't sure Lily would say the same though. Even if James was keeping her out of trouble.

Sirius nodded, knowing they could barely hear each other over the music they were dancing to. "Lead the way!" He yelled in return.

They already were holding hands, so Loralei led them towards the bar on the edge of the dance floor, and ordered them both water, while Sirius inturrupted to order two more firewhiskeys as well.

"Excuse me, Mr. Black, are you trying to get me drunk?" Loralei quipped.

"Wouldn't that be dishonorable of me, Miss Potter?" He replied in jest. "I have better things to do with my time then try to get you drunk. I personally prefer to have you remember every bit of me." He leaned down so his nose was touching hers.

She kissed him lightly. "Oh, and how could I not remember every bit of you?"

"Stop your flirting." The bartender told them. "Your room is upstairs if you need it."

Loralei laughed in the bartender's face. "Flirting? You can't do that in public, anymore?"

"By all means you can," the bartender quickly backtracked, seeing her face for the first time. "I'm just saying that there is a line behind you." That much was true. Loralei could still see the shock in his face when he recognized her though. Even under the blue, yellow, and pink lights, no one could mistake her face, not after how many times it had been in the papers over the last year. Being the spokes person for her family did have upsides.

"Very well." Loralei acted as if she didn't have an ounce of alcohol in her system as she walked away with her water and firewhiskey. Sirius following her.

"Wow, I really like it when you're sassy." Sirius whispered in her ear, leaning over her.

"So I've heard." She flirted back. "Well, I guess it's a good thing. I'm rather full of sass, you know."

"Oh, I know. You've turned it around on me a couple times." He said as they arrived to their booth. No one else was there. Remus and James must have taken Lily upstairs so she could sleep off her drinks. They wouldn't let her drink as much tomorrow.

"I wonder where they went." Sirius muttered before Loralei turned to him.

"Lily's sloshed." Loralei told him. "They took her back to the room to sleep it off probably."

"Leaving us alone?" Sirius asked. "What shall we do?"

A smile broke out across Loralei's lips. "Let's go swimming."

How could he disappoint the girl in front of him. They finished their drinks, and within twenty minutes they found their way to the pool. They didn't even transfigure their clothes. No one was there but them, and they just jumped into the pool, smiling and giggling like giddy schoolchildren. Like they were kids. Loralei rather felt like a kid.

That's when Loralei lost it. Tears escaped her eyes, and Sirius didn't know what to do.

"Are you okay? Aren't you happy?" Sirius begged, holding her tight against him. The water only came up to his chest. Her legs were wrapped around his waist, and her arms around his neck.

"Yeah, I am." She whispered as tears ran down her cheeks. "But I shouldn't be."

"And why not?" Sirius asked. "You deserve to be happy after last year."

"My parents are dead. It's not even been a year and I'm happy again. How messed up is that?" She sobbed. "They should've been here! For my birthday! For James'! For yours! They're gone, and there's nothing left. There's nothing left. No one to take care of us. I know we don't need money. I know, but we're kids. We're just kids."

Sirius shushed her, rubbing her back slowly, trying to comfort her. He'd never seen her as a sad drunk, a happy one, sure, a horny one, totally. Never sad. She always seemed like the one that even without knowing, would put on a happy, brave front for everyone. Even him. Looks like he finally broke down the walls she kept up for everyone.

"They would want you to be happy." He told her. "Didn't your mother say that in her letter?"

Sirius felt Loralei nod.

"See? They wanted you to be happy. All of us to be happy. Do you feel bad for being happy? Because, I swear that if they knew how brave and strong their girl was, they'd be the proudest parents ever." He whispered. "You not only took care of the press while all of this was going on, but you kept your grades up. You planned funerals, and put on a brave face because you knew no one else would." He kissed her shoulder. "You're the one with a birthday here, you're the one who deserves a break. Take your break, break down, and show us all how you feel. We'll keep you safe. Hell, I will for the rest of your life. Trust us to take care of you like you take care of us." He turned his head to the side so he could whisper in her ear. "We love you too, Loralei. We always have."

**A/N: Thanks to all the reviewers! I'm sorry I've been such a bad updater, but I should be updating every Friday from now on!**

**Please review!**

**Kat**


	53. Chapter 53

Loralei woke up the next morning with no hangover whatsoever. She was always good at not getting hangovers though. It must have been the veela in her. She was in one of the hotel's robes, her head on Sirius' chest. They must have fallen asleep after stumbling in from the pool. At least she was out of her soaking wet dress, Sirius seemed the same, except he was only in sweatpants.

Loralei looked around the room. No one else was in it. The other three must have fallen asleep in the other room. Over her quick glance around the room, she saw a glance of herself in the mirror. Black eyeliner smudged, hair looking like a wild mane, and her red lipstick faded, and smudged around her mouth, and some of it on Sirius' face. Loralei laid back down on him, too tired to move just yet. Maybe in an hour.

Loralei didn't wake up for another three hours when Lily was cleaning her face, taking off the faded and smudged makeup with her wand.

"I love you so much." Loralei whispered to her. "How hungover were you this morning?"

Lily sighed, sitting next to Loralei on the bed. Sirius still asleep under Loralei, and next to Lily. "I never want to drink again. What about you?"

Loralei shrugged, sitting up carefully so she didn't wake up her boyfriend. "I feel fine." She had a minor headache, but nothing else to complain about. "Have you ordered room service?"

"What do you think Remus is doing right now?" She replied, grinning. "What do you want to eat?"

"Chicken." Loralei decided. "Something chicken."

"Well good, because I'm sure they're all getting one of everything." Lily told her. "It's the brunch/lunch time, so they're getting some of everything."

"Did you put your order in?" Loralei asked, yawning.

"Yeah, I got waffles." Lily told her. "What do you think he wants?" She jabbed her thumb towards the sleeping Sirius.

"Everything." Loralei told her, smilling. "Now, if you don't mind, I'm going ot brush my teeth, and charm my hair so it doesn't get this bad tonight."

"Wait." Lily stopped her as Loralei started to get up.

Loralei looked at her expectantly, wondering what possibly be bothering Lily so much she had to know right away?

"Why were your clothes wet when you got in? I found them in the shower."

"Oh, we went for a swim after you James, and Remmy left." Loralei told her.

"In your dress?" Lily raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, we didn't really feel like getting changed." Loralei shrugged. "It's no big deal, we were just being lazy."

"Well at least it explains where most of your makeup went, as well as what your hair looks like." Lily told her, touching Loralei's tangled locks.

Loralei pouted. "Fix it for me?"

Lily sighed. "You're better with these sort of spells."

"You've read every issue of Witch Weekly I've ever gotten, you can do it too." Loralei closed her eyes. "I trust you."

Lily sighed as she pulled her wand out of her boot. "Fine." She raised her wand over Loralei's head as she muttered the spell, Loralei's hair looked instantly untangled, though it was wavy from her sleeping on it.

"Thank you!" Loralei sang, jumping up and going to grab some clothes before getting to the bathroom.

When she emerged, Loralei was wearing leggings and layered tank tops. One black spaghetti strap, and one white ribbed tank top. Her leggings were just plain black. Lily stood as Loralei jumped onto the bed next to Sirius.

"Wake up, my love." Loralei sang, shaking him lightly.

A hand reached up to her neck, and scratched it lightly. She tilted her head slightly to give him more access to the side of her neck.

"Even half asleep, I know what you like." He laughed.

"Careful now, love. Lily's in the room. The boys are ordering room service." Loralei whispered.

"Damn it, Lily. I was trying to have a moment with my wonderful Loralei." Sirius sat up. "What time is it?"

"Eleven." Lily told him. "I'll just go into the other room..." She started backing away, and opened the door.

"Have fun!" He called back with a wave as she dove through the doorway.

Loralei laughed. "Well, go get dressed, I'll be right here when you get back."

"Oh, fine." He replied, moving around her so he could get off the bed to stand up. "Be back in a minute."

"You better be." She grinned. "They should also have a hangover potion in there for you, love."

He kissed her forehead, before following Lily though the door to get clothes of his own.

Lily sighed and laid down on the bed. Best birthday ever.

"We can't drink too much tonight," Loralei decided when they were getting ready to go out again. She didn't dress up too much tonight, just leggings and a long top, still cute, but much more comfortable.

"Yeah, since we have to leave by noon." Remus agreed. "Maybe we should pack up tonight before we go out."

"Sounds perfect." Lily agreed. "Then we can just brush our hair and teeth and go. We still have to finish packing for Hogwarts and everything."

"Yeah, and we only have a day to do that." Sirius replied. "Just throw everything in, it's fine."

"Lazy," Loralei teased. "No. I know at least Remmy, Lily, and Loralei are going to organize and fold our clothes."

"'Loralei?' You're talking in third person now?" James asked.

Loralei didn't even pause at that. "Yes, Loralei enjoys talking in third person." Loralei told him. "She suggests that you get used to it. Loralei thinks it's fun."

"Loralei is ridiculous." James replied.

"Lily doesn't know. Lily think's its fun as well." Lily disagreed. "Lily likes this."

"Oh Merlin. You should have never become friends." James placed his palm against his face.

"Lily doesn't know. She wouldn't have learn how much she liked you without being at your house often." Lily smiled.

James paused. "James is happy that Lily is best friends with Loralei."

"Girl best friend. Remmy's my boy best friend." Loralei told him, slipping out of third person.

"Damn, been friend-zoned once again." Remus snapped his fingers and shook his head in disappointment as he said it.

"You always have a special place in my heart." Loralei against him as she pressed a hand against her chest.

"Well, how could I ever be mad at a person with a face like yours?" He asked, giving her a hug.

"I'll tell you what, if it doesn't work out with Sirius, I'll give you a shot." She looked up at him with big eyes.

"Hey!" Sirius pouted. "What was that about it not working out with me?"

"Just planning for the future." Loralei teased with a wink.

"You'll pay for that." He made a move towards her.

Loralei tried to get away from him, but he caught her around the waist, and tackled her to the bed, trying to tickle her.

"Stop it, you two. I swear, I know you've had sex, but please don't make me an uncle while I'm still a teenager!" James cried.

"Good sex is protected sex!" Loralei replied, grinning as Sirius bit her neck playfully.

"That doesn't mean I want to see the foreplay!" James rolled his eyes.

"Are you kidding, our whole relationship has been foreplay." Sirius told him, before Loralei pulled him down by his hair to kiss her.

"Get out." Remus told them, rolling his eyes.

Loralei wrapped her legs around Sirius' hips, and he carried her to the other room.

"Five minutes of snogging, and then we're leaving. We're going to the bar tonight, they have live music." Lily cried after them. "Please don't be your sickening couple selves!"

All Lily saw was Loralei's thumbs up in the doorway.

Loralei was the first to wake up the next morning. No hangover whatsoever. She remembered the fun they had the night before, and the fact that she was cuddled against Sirius' side. It was seven in the morning, they had time to sleep, so she just closed her eyes to fall asleep again.

Life was good. She may have had a low moment the night before last, but Sirius brought her back up. He made her happy and reminded her of who she was. He made her feel special. He made her want to be with him forever.

It scared her that she had never felt that before. Or at least never this strongly.

**A/N: I hope everyone had a good Fourth of July (if you're in the US) if not, I hope you had a good week! This would've been up a lot earlier today, but I saved all the writing to do today since I've had a busy week, like I'm sure most of us. It's terrible when I can't even rest during the summer when I don't have any school work!**

**Hope you enjoyed this chapter! They're back at Hogwarts next chapter for their final year! If you PM or review me something you want to happen, if I can fit it in I will :)**

** Please review!**

**Kat**


	54. Chapter 54

Chapter 54

"What do you mean you haven't read your mail all summer?" Loralei screeched. She had walked into her brother's room to make sure he was packing, and came upon a whole desk full of letters.

"What? I didn't feel like doing that much reading." He muttered, feeling like he was being reprimanded by a parent. "I read all the letters from Lily."

Loralei looked through the letters. "Some of these are from Hogwarts, James!"

He jumped up off his bed. "What?"

Loralei ripped the letter open, and read it for him, tossing him the golden badge. "You're head boy, dumbass. You're with Lily in the Head Students rooms." She was furious, usually Sirius would have come into the room by now, but not this time.

"I didn't know I'd be up for it...Moony..." He muttered.

"Well great job, James. You're supposed to be an adult now. Take care of your own business, you don't know how long I'll be around here." She snapped.

"You're moving out?" He asked.

"Well it depends where I get a job next year, doesn't it?" She told him. "Unlike you, I want to have a career, and I'm smart enough to go for it. You're going to be the one sitting on your ass because you're too scared to grow up." She smacked the letter to his chest. "Read your mail." She stormed out of the room.

"What are we doing for the first Guardian meeting this year?" James asked as they all climbed the stairs to the Head Dormitories.

"Patronuses?" Remus asked. "I've been reading about them."

"You mean the get rid of dementor kind of spell?" Lily asked. "Do any of us know how to do it?"

Loralei smiled a bit. "I think I know someone who can..."

"Fabian Prewett." Everyone said together.

"Sorry! I'm the only one here who knows an Auror as more than a body guard!" Loralei raised her hands defensively. "I have connections, kids, sorry you don't."

"You're the youngest here, Lore." James told her.

"And Sirius' the oldest!" Loralei replied. "Big deal."

"You're still pissed at me, aren't you?" James asked.

"Why's she pissed?" Lily asked.

"The mail thing." James told her. "She even threatened to move out."

"No, it's not the mail thing." Loralei replied. "It's the fact that you say you have all these big dreams but you never really go for any of them. It's ridiculous, and a miracle that Lily decided to go out with you, it will be amazing if you make it through Auror training, let alone become an Auror."

"Wow, Lore, holding that in too long?" Remus asked, hanging an arm around her shoulders.

"You have no idea." She leaned her head against him. "I'm done with him complaining and then not doing anything to change what's going on."

"Tell me about it, you never even have to sleep in the same room as him, he can go on forever." Remus told her.

"I've lived with him fourteen years, you bet I know that!" Loralei stated. "Pissed me off every moment of my life."

"And now you've finally come out with your feelings, yay!" Remus cheered. "I'm so happy for you. Anything else you wish to share?"

"I don't want to be a teacher. I want to be an Auror like Sirius and James. Lily and Remus can be our healers." She told them.

"I was waiting for you to announce that." Sirius told her. "I've been seeing it in your eyes recently."

"Yes, because my eyes often spell out words in them." Loralei teased.

"Yeah, little white letters in your pupils." Sirius replied. "It said, 'I'm going to be a badass Auror, don't mess with me, bitches!'"

"Now I remember why I love you." She grinned.

"Well, I'd hate to have you forgetting." Sirius replied, smirking. "If only a few hours is all it takes, I'm a little disappointed."

"Well you know, I do have a short memory span." She teased.

"What did you and Sirius break up over last year?" James asked.

Everyone looked at him, with a little annoyance on their faces. Especially Sirius and Loralei.

He raised his hands in surrender. "Just wondering how short her memory span was! Don't hurt me!"

"Trust me, it's not us you need to worry about." Sirius told him. "Your sister has one hell of a memory for her grudges. Once you cross her you learn not to do it again. She remembers when people cross her. I know both of us have been on the wrong end of that."

James bit the inside of his cheek. "That's very true."

"Plus, she's somehow always right, it's like she sees the future or something." Remus teased. Peter and Lily were the only ones there who didn't know about Loralei's little insight now. Remus planned on spelling it out for them; laying it out in plain sight for them to just look over. Cruel, cruel boy, making Loralei's heart race whenever he brought it up.

"Maybe it's the fact that she's so good at Divination." Lily joked as they reached the Head's dorm.

"What's the password?" Loralei asked.

"Griffin." Lily told her. "But we get to change it to whatever we want whenever we want?"

"Are you going to tell us, or are we going to have to knock on the painting?" Sirius asked.

"No knocking please." Replied the painting of young black-haired ebony skinned girl. "It would chip my paint."

"Yes, no chipping the paint, ladies and gentlemen." James told them.

"It is frightfully rude, you know." The girl piped up again. "Knocking on someone's portrait. Merlin, it would be a terrible thing to do."

"You are very right." Sirius said, pressing a hand to his chest. "I am so very sorry for even suggesting it. You have my apologies."

The little girl in the painting blushed. "Well since you all have already said the password, I might as well let you in. Enjoy the dorm. I've heard they are very beautiful." The portrait swung open, letting them inside the common room.

It was beautiful. It was like a miniature version of the Gryffindor common room. A fireplace with a large couch, and two armchairs. The rug in front of it was a deep, beautiful red with golden designs on it. The rest of the floor was hard wood. Two desks were facing each other in the far corner. There were two staircases leading up to somewhere, but you couldn't see where.

"So, Lily, mind sharing your room with me?" Loralei asked.

"I have trouble sleeping without you in the room anyway." Lily laughed. "As long as you don't mind sharing a bed.

"Never have before."

"Good, I already had your trunk moved here." She laughed.

James turned to the boys. "Sorry, lads. One bed, four guys, I'm afraid I'm not willing to share. I just guess that we'll have to transfigure a few more beds."

"Yes! We get private rooms this year!" Sirius high-fived Remus and Peter.

"Longbottom gets his own room, I bet he'll be pretty happy about that."

"Probably." Loralei agreed. "You should hear him complain to Alice about all of us. We're always in your rooms since you can't come into ours, you know."

"Yeah, I've noticed. You've fallen asleep there at least twice a week last year." Remus told her.

"I fall asleep everywhere." Loralei replied. "You should've just woken me up."

"We tried, but once you're out, you're really out." Sirius told her.

"It's true," Lily agreed. "You should see me trying to wake her up every year for the first day of classes."

"Yeah, yeah, pick on the youngest one." Loralei told them, slipping out from under Remus' arm, and going up one of the stairs, that if she was in the Gryffindor common room would be the girls. "I'm going to explore."

"Right behind you!" Lily agreed, skipping off behind her best friend.

"Well then, who's the best here with Transfiguration?" Remus asked, as all three boys looked at James. Peter, who had been previously silent, piped up.

"Well, isn't James the one who became an animagus first?"

"Merlin, head boy and still having to do all the work. Tsk, tsk." James rolled his eyes, before going up the other staircase.

**A/N: So...Loralei's getting annoyed with James... It's her turn to be mad at him! Fabian will be making an appearance next chapter to teach everyone about Patronuses!**

**CrackHeadBlonde: I have to say, I really love your username! Thanks for your review! I think you know what's going to be in the next chapter :P**

**Please review!**

**Kat**


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